Senator Mark Pryor Takes Up Issue of Fairness in FAA Labor Talks with Introduction of Legislation

Details: Published: July 18, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS), AFL-CIO today applauded the introduction of S. 3763 by Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). The legislation seeks to eliminate the provision of law that the FAA claims allows the administrator to unilaterally implement the agency’s contract proposals after sending the bargaining impasses to Congress if Congress does not act within 60 days. Under S. 3763, if a settlement cannot be reached at the bargaining table, the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) would have jurisdiction to resolve the dispute.

“The introduction of this legislation is yet another signal to the FAA that Congress disapproves of the unfair tactics it employs in contract negotiations,” said PASS National President Tom Brantley. “We are grateful to Senator Pryor for taking up this cause in the Senate.”

While many members of Congress are familiar with the impasse between the FAA and the air traffic controllers union, PASS has four bargaining units at impasse with the FAA—some for more than three years. These four bargaining units represent dedicated federal employees, including aviation safety inspectors, flight inspection pilots, procedures development specialists and airborne technicians.

S. 3763 is identical to H.R. 5449, which received 271 votes in the House of Representatives on June 7, falling just short of the 279 votes needed to pass under a rule requiring a two-thirds majority.

“It is imperative that Congress send the message to the FAA that they must negotiate in good faith. We are hopeful that the strong support shown in the House for H.R. 5449 will compel action in the Senate,” said Brantley.

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PASS represents more than 11,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures and perform quality analyses of the aviation systems. For more information, visit the PASS website at www.passnational.org.