Federal Employee 2027 Pay Freeze Could Impact ATC Modernization

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31 Aug

Today, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS) criticized the announcement last week that the civilian federal workforce will receive no pay increase for calendar year 2027.

Under the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act, the president is required to submit an alternative pay plan by September 1 of each year in order to keep larger raises from taking effect. In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Thursday, the resident submitted a plan that would freeze the pay of the ederal workforce.

PASS represents 11,000 employees at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries.

“Failing to adjust the pay of FAA employees will have a negative impact on effort to recruit and retain workers critical to the safety of the National Airspace System,” said PASS National President Dave Spero. “In light of the administration’s push to modernize the air traffic control system, the pay freeze must be reconsidered.”

The FAA is in the midst of implementing the Brand New Air Traffic Control System and PASS-represented employees are on the front lines of this massive effort and are vital to its success. As workers fall behind in compensation, fewer will accept positions with the FAA, and experienced employees will have less of an incentive to remain at the agency. This will likely slow down the progress of implementation.

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PASS Receives Briefing on FAA Realignment

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24 Aug

PASS and the Modernization of the National Airspace System

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24 Jun

The FAA’s ambitious plans to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system (called BNATCS by the administration) represents one of the most significant efforts impacting the National Airspace System (NAS) and the FAA Technical Operations workforce responsible for maintaining it. Tech Ops employees are among the 11,000 FAA employees represented by PASS.

While modernization is necessary, the speed and process of these efforts must be tempered with ensuring the safety of the aviation system, which means that stakeholder involvement is essential. To that end, PASS has a dedicated representative to the FAA’s Program Management Office (PMO), and for the BNATCS. This PASS member ensures that the voice of front-line employees is heard.

Since the modernization efforts began, the agenda has moved forward at a rapid pace, reshaping long-standing processes and expectations, and this accelerated timeline is already having real impacts on employees.

PASS has consistently emphasized that modernization cannot come at the expense of training adequacy, workforce readiness or system safety. Under a contract article with the FAA, PASS has established a slate of front-line union members to provide oversight, workforce advocacy and operational insight throughout the program’s development and deployment. This dedicated team exists to provide real-world operational experience and candid feedback to decision-makers who may lack direct field experience.

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Celebrating Federal Employees

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30 Apr

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. PSRW has always been an opportunity for the country to acknowledge the important work PASS members and all federal employees do every day to keep our nation running.

To be sure, these are challenging times for the federal workforce yet employees show up every day to work on behalf of their fellow Americans. “Rising to meet a challenge head on is what federal employees do best,” said PASS National President Dave Spero. “The employees we represent at the Federal Aviation Administration deserve to be celebrated for the stellar government service they provide.”

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Jazz Flight AC8646

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24 Mar

PASS sends its condolences to the families and loved ones of the Jazz Aviation pilots killed in the crash at LaGuardia Airport on March 22, 2026. They were represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), one of PASS's union partners in securing safe travel for millions of Americans every day. PASS mourns the loss of these aviation professionals and stands ready to assist in any way needed. However, the union will not comment any further on the tragic accident while investigations are underway.

Arbitrator Sustains PASS Telework Grievance

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19 Feb

The arbitrator determined that the FAA violated the parties’ collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), In large part, the arbitrator merely recognized the careful balance the FAA and PASS struck in developing rules around telework and remote work during contract negotiations from 2022–2024. Rather than guaranteeing specific telework schedules or remote work, the CBAs focus instead on the process to be utilized to determine which schedule can be available to employees. To that end, the arbitrator found that the CBAs call for routine telework requests and remote work arrangements to be determined on a case-by-case basis utilizing the criteria negotiated in good faith by the FAA and PASS.

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