Tell Bush - Hands off the Union!

Your urgent action is needed to beat back yet another attack on the right of your brothers and sisters in the public sector to collectively bargain in good faith.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Vote Yes FAA and NATCA Employees- Vote Yes on H.B. 5449

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Please support H.R. 5449, the bill sponsored by Congressman LaTourette which would impose good faith negotiations on the FAA and NATCA. This bipartisan bill would do no more than impose the same contract dispute resolution system on the FAA as exists for every other federal agency. Congressman LaTourette has reached an agreement with the Speaker of the House, Congressman Hastert, to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote this week. Since the bill will be voted on under a "suspension vote" it will require 2/3rds present voting in the affirmative to pass.

H.R. 5449 simply repeals paragraph (2) of section 40122 (a) of Title 49 USC. Instead of transmitting contract impasses to Congress, the FAA would be required to use the provisions of Title 5 USC to resolve collective bargaining disputes. Title 5 USC allows the U.S. government to retain control over collective bargaining disputes, and this is the existing provision for other government employees.

A voluntary agreement is in the best interest of all stakeholders: the taxpayers, the FAA, Congress, and the affected employees. On April 5th, the parties were within $500 million of reaching a voluntary agreement over the term of the 5 year contract. NATCA has offered $1.4 billion in cost savings, while the FAA has demanded a minimum of $1.9 billion, a position they have maintained from the beginning of negotiations. The $500 million gap, in a 14 billion dollar a year budget, can be closed and a voluntary agreement is absolutely attainable.

At a time when 1 in 4 controllers will be eligible to retire within a year, the National Airspace System can hardly withstand an involuntary agreement that encourages controllers to retire..

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 05, 2006

Background Information

A quirk in the law has allowed the Bush administration to conclude that it can unilaterally impose its last contract offer on the nation’s air traffic controllers without engaging in good faith negotiations. Amongst the more outrageous components of Bush’s offer: a two-tier wage system, forced retirements likely to result in double-digit increases in air travel delays and pay freezes for five years.

The Bush administration is set to impose its will on now. But Congress will take a vote today or tomorrow on H.R. 5449, a bipartisan bill which would force the Bush administration to respect our brothers and sisters and go back to the table. This bill would impose the same dispute resolution system on this contract negotiation as exists for every other federal employee union.

The Speaker of the U.S. House has agreed to allow the vote on H.R. 5449 under a rule suspension. But this means that it must pass by a 2/3rds majority. Big business has put on a full court press against our brothers and sisters and they need your help. Tell your representative to support the right of these public employees to collectively bargain and send Bush a message about union solidarity.