TAKE ACTION! Senate FAA Reauthorization Bill

As the Senate prepares to consider its version of the FAA reauthorization bill (S. 1300), it is important that all PASS members contact their senators and encourage them to keep the legislation moving forward. The House passed its version of the legislation (H.R. 2881) in September 2007, and the Senate is expected to vote on S. 1300 as early as next week. PASS believes that it is imperative that the Senate pass its version of the bill in order for the legislation to reach conference, at which time lawmakers will work out the differences between the two versions of the bill.

PASS supports several sections of the Senate version of the bill, including language on contract negotiations that would put in place an impasse procedure that encourages collective bargaining and resolution of negotiations through impartial binding third-party arbitration; language requiring a study of FAA technical training and staffing; and language that would require the FAA to develop a staffing model for its inspector workforce. These significant provisions are also included in the House-passed version of the bill.

While the Senate version contains provisions not supported by PASS, including the creation of two pilot programs, PASS believes that it is important to move the bill forward and work to have these issues resolved in conference between the House and Senate. Our lobbying efforts will continue to be focused on ensuring the final legislation protects the work performed by all the employees we represent.

For your convenience, PASS has developed a letter so you can send a message to your senators urging them to pass S. 1300. As mentioned, the Senate may vote on the bill as soon as next week, so please send the letter at your earliest convenience. If you have any questions, please contact the national office.

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Your Senators

Your Senators

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

As an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and member of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), I am writing to ask you to support the men and woman who protect this country?s aviation system by working to pass S. 1300, the Aviation Investment and Modernization Act.

S. 1300 is a pivotal piece of legislation that includes several provisions that are vital to ensuring a safe and effective FAA. Of utmost importance, S. 1300 contains language correcting the unfair collective bargaining process at the FAA by establishing an impasse procedure that encourages fair negotiations and resolution of disputes through impartial binding third-party arbitration. Four out of five PASS negotiations have been at impasse for over five years. In PASS's Technical Operations unit, the FAA's proposed agreement was rejected by 98 percent of the employees. It is unclear when the negotiations process will begin again due to pending legal proceedings initiated by the FAA. These bargaining units desire only a fair process for resolving collective bargaining impasses. S. 1300 would allow for this and prevent the continuation of many of the labor relations problems currently afflicting the FAA.

In addition to providing for a fair collective bargaining process, S. 1300 contains extremely important provisions related to technician and inspector staffing. By directing the Comptroller General to conduct a study of technician training and the National Academy of Sciences to examine the methods used to determine staffing levels of the technician workforce, S. 1300 seeks to address the issue of low technical staffing and the corresponding impacts to safe and efficient air travel. In addition, the legislation directs the FAA to develop a staffing model for its inspector workforce as outlined in the September 2006 Academy of Sciences report. Without a doubt, staffing of these two pivotal workforces needs to be addressed in order to allow the FAA to fulfill its safety mission.

While S. 1300 contains provisions that need to be resolved in conference, as an FAA employee, I believe it is important to move the bill forward without delay. The employees of the FAA need your support of S. 1300 in order to continue our important work in preserving the safety of our country's aviation system. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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