Celebrating Federal Employees!
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- Published: May 04, 2025
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.
But this year is different. Since January, there has been a barrage of memos and actions taken by the administration aimed at federal employees. Through executive orders and negative social media posts making false claims about professionalism and performance, a target has been placed squarely on the backs of our country’s civil servants.
“But that will not stop PASS from recognizing the federal employees we represent at the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense,” said National President Dave Spero. “It doesn’t take away anything from celebrating the stellar government service they provide on a daily basis.”
Every day—even during these challenging times—these dedicated safety professionals are providing a public service. Whether they are maintaining and installing air traffic control equipment, conducting inspections on the factory floor at Boeing or other manufacturers, creating flight procedures for pilots, ensuring planes are registered, or providing the administrative, technical and environmental support needed to accomplish these tasks, these public servants are working on behalf of their fellow citizens. Not just travelers, but pilots, flight attendants and ramp workers; aircraft dispatchers and gate agents; aircraft mechanics and TSA officers. This public service is a complex aviation safety ecosystem that operates 24/7/365, one to which the employees PASS represents have dedicated their careers.
They are highly skilled, experienced and dedicated to the job of keeping our skies safe by supporting the largest, safest and most complex air traffic control system in the world.
“Not just in aviation—public servants are all around us,” said President Spero. “They educate our children, protect our streets and homes, deliver our mail, fight wildfires, process taxes, inspect our food and medication and provide health care services. Military and civilian federal employees defend our country every day. And our members ensure safety in the air and on the ground.” Approximately 60 percent of the employees PASS represents are military veterans who chose to continue that service by joining the FAA.
The government should be thanking them for their dedicated service every day, as should their friends, families, neighbors and communities. They owe two million federal workers a debt of gratitude, this week and every week.