Conservative Revolutionary American Party III: The National Airspace System needs your help

National Air Traffic Controllers Association

Fair FAA

On April 5, the FAA walked away from contract negotiations with our nation's air traffic controllers. After declining an offer from controllers that would have saved taxpayers $1.4 billion dollars - that amounts to an average concession of nearly $94K for each position covered by the agreement over its five year term - the FAA Administrator abdicated her responsibility to reach an agreement with her workers and sent the contract to Congress, allowing them only 60 days to review it before she imposes her one-sided terms. Under the FAA's interpretation of a disputed law, the agency can simply impose its last offer on controllers if Congress is unable to act on the contract during the small window of time. Under this dubious interpretation, the FAA has no incentive to negotiate a contract at all - in fact, the agency did not move on their proposal to cut pay rates by 30% while NATCA modified its own offers to accommodate every one of the FAA's publicly and privately stated goals for the contract.

If the FAA is allowed to impose a contract, it could have a tremendous impact on an aviation system already strained by a staffing crisis:

* One out of four controllers - nearly 4,000 - is eligible to retire by the end of 2007. The system's most experienced controllers and trainers would have no incentive to remain on the job and in most cases be penalized financially for remaining.

* It will make hiring much-needed replacement controllers of quality and excellence considerably harder. Students currently at the FAA academy will see the rules dramatically changed in the middle of the game. They were hired under one pay system, but are now looking at 30% cuts. Students still in FAA approved Colleges may consider other career options since the system promised before they started paying for their own training no longer exists. The system's youngest controllers would see career-long pay freezes, even as they take the places of more experienced controllers at higher-traffic, higher-stress facilities.

We can restore fairness in the process and ensure the differences in contract negotiations are dealt with in an impartial process, the same kind of process that is available in other federal agencies and private companies. You can help by asking your elected officials to support the bipartisan legislation to restore a fair process for dispute resolution for FAA employees. The Obama and Kelly-Costello Fair FAA Acts (S.2201 and H.R. 4755) doesn't dictate the outcome of any particular contract negotiation, it simply requires Congress to either approve the FAA proposal or send the matter to an impartial arbitrator. Ask your elected officials to support the fair treatment for America's aviation safety workforce. To date, a bipartisan group of over 210 lawmakers from the House and Senate have signed on to this vital legislation.

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
H.R. 4755 House Bill Targets
S.2201 Senate Bill Targets

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: The National Airspace System needs your help!

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

As you may know, the Federal Aviation Administration ended contract negotiations with America's air traffic controllers on April 5, 2006. The agency called an end to talks after rejecting an offer from National Air Traffic Controllers Association that would have saved taxpayers $1.4 billion? that amounts to an average concession of nearly $94,000 for each position covered by the agreement over its five year term. Within hours of declaring impasse, the FAA sent their proposal to Congress as you were preparing to leave DC for home and time with your constituents.

Unfortunately, it seems increasingly obvious that the FAA is intent on forcing a contract on its employees. The FAA has interpreted the current law to give it the ability to send the contract for a 60-day review by Congress. If Congress does not act, the FAA has interpreted the law to mean it can simply impose its last offer on controllers. By pursuing this strategy the agency is showing a shocking lack of regard for the basic principles of fair and good faith negotiations. In fact, our belief that the FAA is eschewing good faith is supported by a simple fact about the negotiations - While NATCA modified its contract proposals to meet every single one of the FAA's publicly and privately stated goals for the negotiations, the agency never once changed its own proposal during the entirety of the talks.

If the FAA is allowed to impose its will, the aviation system could be impacted tremendously. One in four controllers - nearly 4,000 - could retire by the end of next year because they could be financially penalized for remaining on the job under the new contract. This would exacerbate an existing staffing crisis that has fewer and fewer controllers watching record air traffic. That's just not safe.

That's why we need your support for the Obama-Kelly-Costello Fair FAA Act, which would restore fairness in the process by making sure that in the event of impasses, and Congressional inaction, the contract negotiations would be referred to an impartial third party with expertise in this area.

The Fair FAA Act (S.2201 and H.R. 4755) proposes a small change in the law, but it will mean the world of difference by ensuring that the FAA once again engages in productive, good faith negotiations instead of relying on backdoor tactics to enforce its will. Good faith negotiations are the first step towards ensuring the continuing safety and efficiency of the U.S. air traffic system.

We need your support for this bill. Please, help ensure fairness and air safety by supporting the highly skilled and dedicated men and women of America's air traffic control.

Sincerely,

T. Scott Brineman

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