NATCA: Why Air Travel Is Safer
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If you’re getting ready to board a plane home after Thanksgiving or still fretting about safety in the crowded holiday skies for the upcoming holidays, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA)—the people who guide you home—offer five reasons to feel better about air travel.
Here they are in a nutshell, and click here for more details.
- There are more controllers on the job, nearly a 4 percent increase of fully certified controllers.
- Runways are safer than ever, with the number of serious runway incursions having dropped by 50 percent between 2009 and 2010 after falling by 52 percent the year before.
- Major steps have been taken to reduce controller fatigue this year, including staffing that ensures at least two controllers are on duty at all times.
- The aviation community is collaborating to mitigate delays with pilots, aircraft dispatchers, airport operators and other members of the aviation community and the system wide delays are decreasing, especially around the holidays.
- The aviation safety culture is at its strongest with NATCA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) committed to improving the safety of the air traffic control system, including a voluntary safety reporting program, the Air Traffic Safety Action Program.
PATCO Strike Changed America, Sheds Light on U.S. Today
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When 12,000 U.S. air traffic controllers went on strike 30 years ago, Ronald Reagan threatened that if they were not back on the job in 48 hours, they would be fired. Two days later, 11,000 of them, all members of PATCO, were terminated and permanently replaced. The PATCO strike not only changed the lives of those involved, who were unable to ever work again in their field, it proved to be a key turning point in this nation for workers seeking a voice at their workplaces, according to Georgetown University professor Joseph McCartin.
Speaking last night as part of a Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor panel at Georgetown, McCartin said the PATCO strike resulted in a fundamental shift in workers’ ability to utilize the strike, widely recognized as workers’ most effective tool in seeking a fair shake on the job. After PATCO, employers were emboldened to replace strikers and, in turn, workers waged fewer and fewer walkouts. By 2010, there were only 11 strikes involving 1,000 or more workers, compared with 222 such strikes in 1960—a 95 percent drop in walkouts. As the ability to successfully strike decreased, so did workers’ strength at the workplace and their numbers in unions. As McCartin summed up:
Ever since a Supreme Court ruling in 1938 in the Mackay case, private-sector employers knew that they had the legal right to replace workers in most strikes. But until 1981 few were willing to risk the conflict and public disapproval that might come from doing so.
Reagan’s firing of the PATCO strikers, which the public initially strongly supported, helped break that barrier of reticence.
McCartin, author of the newly published book, Collision Course: Ronald Reagan, the Air Traffic Controllers and the Strike that Changed America, was joined by several former PATCO Read the rest of this entry »
Report: U.S. Aviation System Safest in the World
National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Paul Rinaldi says “the most important piece” of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on aviation safety is this: “The [Federal Aviation Administration] FAA has taken several steps to further improve safety at and around airports.”
The GAO study found an increase in the rate of reported runway incursions and other reported incidents of aircraft coming too close to each other. The FAA says a new system of more accurate incident reporting accounts for some of the increase.
As a result of this culture change, the FAA expected to see an increase in reported operational errors. More information will help us find problems and take action before an accident happens, which will help us build an even safer aviation system.
Coburn Yields to Pressure, Backs Off FAA Shutdown Threat
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After intense public pressure and criticism, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) last night backed off his threat to shut down the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Senate approved a bill that will keep the FAA operating through January.
FAA spending authority was due to expire today and President Obama will sign the bill today.
Coburn was using Senate rules to block the bill, which also extends funding for federal highway programs through March, because he objected to some provisions in the highways portion of the bill. He agreed to address his concerns when permanent reauthorization legislation is considered and withdrew his hold on the bill.
Earlier this summer, House Republicans forced the shutdown of the FAA when they refused to vote for a clean extension that did not include provisions to overturn democratic union election rules for aviation and rail workers.
The shutdown that cost 4,000 FAA workers and 70,000 construction workers two weeks’ pay, halted important airport safety improvements and cost taxpayers some $400 million.
Coburn Blocks FAA Bill, 80,000 People Could Be Out of Work
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If 80,000 people are out of work when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) runs out of spending authority tomorrow, they can blame Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). Coburn is single- handedly blocking a bill to reauthorize the FAA that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House earlier this week.
To meet the Sept. 16 FAA funding deadline, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is seeking unanimous consent to bring up the bill, which also extends funding for federal highway programs. Coburn says he will block the bill unless some minor changes are made in the highways portion.
You can call Coburn’s Washington, D.C., office—202-224-5754—and tell him to support H.R. 2887, the extension of FAA and highways authorization.
When House Republicans forced an FAA shutdown earlier this year, it cost 4,000 FAA workers and 70,000 construction workers two weeks’ pay, halted important airport safety improvements and cost taxpayers some $400 million.
Republicans Drop Anti-Worker Demands in FAA Fight—For Now
House Republicans backed off their demand—at least temporarily—to end democratic union election rights for aviation and rail workers and voted yesterday to extend funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through January.
After House Republicans forced the shutdown of the FAA by refusing to vote for a clean extension that did not include provisions to overturn the democratic union election rules, the public outcry was enormous.
Workers and community groups rallied at airports and marched outside lawmakers’ offices to protest the shutdown that cost 4,000 FAA workers and 70,000 construction workers two weeks’ pay, halted important airport safety improvements and cost taxpayers some $400 million.
The Republican target in the FAA shutdown were union election rules adopted last year by the National Mediation Board (NMB). Those rules say air and rail elections should be decided by a majority of votes cast. Previously under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), which covers rail and airline workers, each worker who did not cast a vote in a representation election was automatically counted as a “No” vote.
The bill, which also extends funding for federal highway programs through March, now goes to the U.S. Senate.
Floridians Tell Rep. Mica: Don’t Flush Working Families, Jobs Down the Toilet
Andy Richards on our Field Communications staff highlights how Floridians are trying to clean up their state.
Before Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) heads back to Washington, D.C., next week, Floridians across the state sent him a clear message today at his five office locations: Don’t flush the rights of working families and good-paying jobs down the toilet by delaying a long-term FAA reauthorization.
To make sure he got the message, Floridians delivered toilet plungers, brooms and shovels at five of Mica’s offices in Deltona, Maitland, Ormond Beach, Palatka and St. Augustine to tell him to clean up the mess he made while in Washington.
After shutting down the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in an attempt to fulfill his extreme partisan agenda—a move that left nearly 100,000 workers without paychecks to support their families and which cost taxpayers more than $400 million in tax revenue—working families pushed back and forced Mica to temporarily extend the FAA funding through mid-September. The pressure forced Mica to lament in the Washington Post:
Another FAA Shutdown Looming over Rep. Mica’s, Delta’s Union-Busting Scheme
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If a funding agreement isn’t reached by Sept. 16, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) faces another shutdown like the one Republicans forced in July. That shutdown cost 4,000 FAA workers and 70,000 construction workers two weeks’ pay, halted important airport safety improvements and cost taxpayers some $400 million. It ended Aug. 5 with a temporary FAA reauthorization.
But another shutdown just might happen if Republicans like Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) continue to carry Delta Air Lines’ baggage by backing a provision in the long-term House FAA funding bill—supported by Delta—to take away democratic union election rights for aviation and rail workers. Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) President Veda Shook says Mica is:
acting as Delta Air Lines’ pawn by advancing a union-busting provision and threatening another shutdown of the FAA. Mica’s contempt for workers and the 75,000 people who were out of work due to the partial shutdown of the FAA is feeding Delta’s grossly funded union-busting scheme.
AFA-CWA unions are stepping up the pressure on Mica, his Republican colleagues and Delta—and you can join in. Click here to sign a petition to Delta telling the airline it’s time to cease its support for the “entirely undemocratic” union election provision that would count workers who don’t participate in a union election as “No” votes.
Republican Shutdown of FAA Over—For Now
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The Republican shutdown for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is over—for now—and the 4,000 furloughed FAA workers will return to work Monday and 70,000 construction workers should be back on the job soon now that airport improvement funds will flow again.
The Senate—even though it was adjourned—approved a House-passed bill that extends FAA funding until Sept. 16. That was possible because it was in what is known as pro forma session. Here’s how The Associated Press described it:
Employing the so-called “unanimous consent” procedure which took less than 30 seconds, two senators were present to approve a House-passed bill extending FAA’s operating authority through mid-September.
Democratic Sen. James Webb of Virginia stood up, called up the bill and asked that it be passed. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., the presiding officer, agreed and it was done. Read the rest of this entry »
Republicans Use ‘Extortion Tactics’ to Shut Down FAA
The Republican shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has thrown 4,000 FAA employees out of work, and some 70,000 construction workers employed on airport improvement projects can’t go to work because Republicans have blocked funding for the agency and the projects.
In a letter to House and Senate Republican leaders, Mark Ayers, president of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD), says he is outraged by the “extortion tactics” and “political brinkmanship” that are creating even more “hardship for building and construction trades families” in an industry already suffering high unemployment.
Our members expect their elected leaders to resolve their differences without resorting to ultimatums. Once again, our members are frustrated that an extreme minority has succeeded temporarily by using extortion tactics to undermine the jobs of my members.
