Steve Dickson Confirmed as FAA Administrator

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24 Jul

On behalf of the 11,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees represented by PASS, the union congratulates Steve Dickson on his confirmation by the U.S. Senate to become the next FAA administrator.

PASS National President Mike Perrone, who served with Dickson on the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Advisory Committee, said today, “The FAA has been without a permanent administrator for more than a year and I welcome the steady hand that Dickson will bring to the helm during a time when the agency is facing intense scrutiny. I look forward to meeting with him very soon and sharing the thoughts and experience of our members.”

At a hearing in May in front of the Senate Commerce Committee, Dickson expressed support for the safety-critical work performed by FAA employees and the vital role the government plays in maintaining the largest, safest and most complex air traffic control system in the world.

With Shutdown Looming, PASS President Warns Against Gambling With Aviation Safety

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17 Jul

As Congress continues to debate government funding, history may repeat itself in the form of another government shutdown, and the president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS)—representative of 11,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees—is providing information on the impact of a shutdown on aviation safety and other concerns during a hearing today before the House Aviation Subcommittee. The government continues to heal from the partial government shutdown in January—the longest in history—and PASS National President Mike Perrone is warning that another shutdown would be a gamble with aviation safety that the country should not be willing to take.

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PASS, Aviation Unions Call on Secretary Chao to Address Foreign Repair Stations

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26 Jun

Washington, D.C.—In a letter sent to Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao today, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS), joined a coalition of aviation unions in calling on the secretary to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and proper oversight of foreign repair stations that work on U.S. aircraft.

The letter was signed by PASS, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the Transport Workers Union of America and the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO.

“Congressionally directed action regarding drug and alcohol testing, security screening for safety-sensitive personnel, and risk-based oversight at foreign aircraft repair stations are now years overdue—a reality that has led to a two-tiered safety system with glaring regulatory loopholes,” the unions wrote.

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Aircraft Maintenance Summit Calls Attention to Foreign Repair Stations

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10 Jun

Never missing a chance to bring the voice of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees to the table, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) joined other aviation unions and industry groups at an Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing Summit on June 4, presented by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the Business Travel Coalition. At issue was the rising use of foreign repair stations to work on American aircraft and the loss of American jobs. PASS represents the aviation safety inspectors at the FAA who are to inspect and regulate aircraft repair stations, both foreign and domestic. PASS Region IV Vice President Mike Gonzales joined a panel to discuss the ramifications of having mechanics who are not FAA certificated working on aircraft overseas without adequate oversight from aviation safety inspectors. National President Mike Perrone was also on hand and brought up the union's long-standing concerns with this practice as well as the impact of the government shutdown on the inspector workforce.

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Saluting Federal Employees: PSRW 2019

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03 May

Since 1985, Congress has designated the first full week of May as Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) to show appreciation for the men and women who make up the nation’s civil service.

Organized by the Public Employees Roundtable, a coalition of government employee advocacy groups, PSRW is a great opportunity for the country to acknowledge the important work PASS members and all federal employees do every day to keep our nation running. ['I Serve Because...' PASS members tell you why.]

During the historic partial government shutdown, the American public turned out in droves to support the dedicated public servants who were working without pay for 35 days and those who were forced to stay at home while their work piled up. They understood that these were their family, friends and neighbors who were caught up in a political fight not of their making.

PASS celebrates the dedicated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees we represent nationwide and the civilian Department of Defense (DoD) employees we represent at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point: the systems specialist who keeps air traffic control equipment in service, the inspector who makes sure planes and helicopters are safe to fly, the aeronautical information specialists who prepare the maps and charts pilots rely on, the flight inspection and mission support employees who ensure the integrity of procedures, safety support staff who are there every step of the way, and all the professionals represented by PASS who are on the job 24/7. “The employees we represent demonstrate every day that they are dedicated to the FAA’s mission but never more so than during the government shutdown,” said PASS National President Mike Perrone. “They are experienced, highly skilled and committed to the job of keeping our skies safe—they never wavered even when they weren’t being paid.”

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PASS Endorses Bills to Protect FAA During Shutdowns

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02 Apr

Not long after the government shutdown ended, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Chair of the House Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) introduced the Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2019 (H.R.1108) that would protect Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs and personnel from future government shutdowns without changing the structure of the agency.

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