Congratulations are in order for Chapter FL1 President Doug Lowe! Lowe will be recognized by the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) with its Airway Transportation Systems Specialists Award.
"All of our ATSSs are deserving of recognition for the work they do every day and it is a great honor to have one of our own acknowledged publicly,” said PASS National President Mike Perrone. “Congratulations, Doug!"
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), AFL-CIO, the union that represents over 11,000 employees at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DoD), released this statement regarding the election of Joe Biden as the next president of the United States:
PASS congratulates President-elect Biden on his victory and looks forward to working with his administration at all levels to ensure that the important work of the American public can be conducted without impediment. The union also recognizes the historic election of Sen. Kamala Harris as the first woman who will serve as Vice President.
PASS has always been willing to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and regardless of which party occupied the White House. “As a union, PASS focuses on policy and legislation that impact the federal workforce and aviation safety, not candidates.” said National President Mike Perrone.
PASS stands with the aviation industry employees who have been furloughed after lawmakers failed to extend the Payroll Support Program. That provision in the CARES Act kept hundreds of thousands of airline workers employed by preventing the airlines from issuing layoff or furlough notices but it expired at midnight, September 30. Now, tens of thousands of aviation industry workers are facing weeks, if not months, of no pay unless Congress can reach agreement to support the industry.
For years, the Profesional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS), has called upon the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Congress to reexamine the Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program, as direct FAA involvement in aircraft certification has been significantly reduced and more oversight has been turned over to industry. PASS has asked the FAA to put the brakes on expanding ODA, as called for in the 2018 FAA reauthorization. While the system is not entirely broken, holes have developed that jeopardize aviation safety and the flying public. The bi-partisan Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act, introduced by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee on September 28, 2020, takes the much-needed steps to close those holes and ensure that aircraft manufactured in the United States are held to the highest standards. PASS supports this legislation as it Increases the agency’s oversight role and authority in the certification process while empowering FAA employees with the tools, skills and resources to keep pace with new and emerging technology. “The Aviation Safety employees that PASS represents at the FAA are highly skilled and trained professionals,” said PASS National President Mike Perrone. “The union is grateful that committee members on both sides of the aisle aim to provide them with the resources they need to accomplish the mission of the FAA and in doing so, protect the American flying public.”
This week, PASS and the other affiliate unions of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD), AFL-CIO, sent a letter to top congressional leaders calling on lawmakers to pass an economic relief package this month to aid essential workers on the frontlines of the pandemic, especially those in the transportation sector. “Transportation workers have been at the center of these efforts, making sure that the goods and people that keep our country healthy get where they need to be. Now these workers, and the broader economy, need your help.”
Earlier this summer, PASS and the aviation unions of TTD urged lawmakers to extend the Payroll Support Program (PSP) for airline employees in the next COVID-19 response legislation. That legislation has stalled. By providing millions of dollars to airlines under the CARES Act, the PSP has kept hundreds of thousands of airlines workers employed by preventing the airlines from any layoffs or furloughs, but it expires in just two weeks.
Earlier this week, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS), joined 12 other aviation labor unions in asking members of Congress to sign a letter urging extension of the Payroll Support Program (PSP) for airline employees. The bi-partisan letter is asking House and Senate leadership to include the extension in the next COVID-19 response legislation.
By providing millions of dollars to airlines under the CARES Act earlier this year, the PSP has kept hundreds of thousands of airlines workers employed by preventing the airlines from any layoffs or furloughs through September 30.
