PASS Supporting Nonprofit That Supports Feds

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13 Apr

PASS is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring the marquee event of the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund (FEEA): the Feds in Motion 35 Challenge, kicking off May 2. FEEA is the only nonprofit that is dedicated to assisting federal workers. Since 1986, FEEA has supported more than 55,000 families from nearly every federal department and agency with emergency hardship loans, disaster relief grants, scholarships and childcare subsidies. PASS has previously sponsored FEEA's 5k race that kicks off Public Service Recognition Week (May 2–8, 2021). Because of the pandemic, FEEA is changing it up by issuing a challenge for federal employees to log 35 miles (biking, walking, running, swimming) in 35 days to celebrate FEEA's 35th anniversary. All proceeds from registration go to support FEEA's many programs. Let's get federal employees moving!

PASS Congratulates New TTD Leaders

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17 Feb

The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), AFL-CIO congratulates the unanimous election of Greg Ragan as president of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD), AFL-CIO and Shari Semelsberger as TTD’s first female secretary-treasurer at the TTD Executive Committee meeting today. The election was held less than three months after the untimely death of President Larry Willis.

“Greg stepped up to lead TTD after Larry’s tragic passing,” said PASS National President Mike Perrone. “He did so with tremendous grace and without missing a beat during a difficult time for the TTD staff.” PASS is one of 33 unions that make up the TTD coalition; Perrone is a member of the Executive Committee. “I look forward to working with Greg and Shari in their new administration and with a new secretary of transportation to promote the critical work of our collective members,” continued Perrone.

At today’s meeting, the Executive Committee also establshed the Larry Willis Leadership Award to be given annually to a public servant or community leader who demonstrates commitment, dedication, and advocacy on behalf of transportation workers.

Air Traffic Control Privatization and the Pandemic

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24 Mar

The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), AFL-CIO, has long opposed any attempts to privatize the nation’s air traffic control system. After years of pushing back on legislation introduced in Congress and attempts by the previous president to privatize the system, a five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was signed into law in October 2018 without any privatization language.
 
During the pandemic, air travel around the world plummeted and how other nations dealt with their privatized air traffic control systems speaks volumes about why PASS has always maintained that air traffic control is an inherently governmental function. PASS member Pat Delaney serves as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) representative from the International Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Associations (IFATSEA), of which PASS is a member. In the following article, he examines the consequences of outsourcing air traffic control.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Air Navigation Service Providers

The covid-19 pandemic has reached the one-year milestone. The pandemic has wreaked unforeseen havoc on the world’s economies. Who would have thought we would be told to say home from work and school with only essential businesses open—all others closed. The roadways in the United States became barren as well as the skies. The U.S. airline industry slowed to a level not seen since September 11, 2001: only this time it would last for months. The world-wide airline industry has been hit the hardest. The demand for air travel was crippled by the public’s fear of the infectious disease and being trapped in an aircraft for hours. Countries imposing travel restrictions also reduced the demand for international flights.

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PASS Congratulates Secretary Buttigieg

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02 Feb

The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS) congratulates Pete Buttigieg on his confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT). He was confirmed today by a bipartisan Senate vote of 86–13. PASS represents 11,000 employees at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who protect, maintain and certify the largest, safest and most complex air traffic control system in the world. PASS National President Mike Perrone serves on the FAA’s Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Committee and the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Advisory Committee, both of which report to the DOT secretary. “I look forward to working with Secretary Buttigieg on these important committees,” Perrone said. “I applaud the secretary for his pro-worker positions and know that he will ensure that the FAA employees we represent have the resources and staffing necessary to perform their safety critical work on behalf of the American people.” The PASS leader also noted that the frontline employees at the agency stand ready to work with the secretary and the FAA administrator to implement changes to aircraft certification that were included in the omnibus legislation signed late last year that funded the government through FY2021.