Despite Obama veto threat, House passes FAA bill with union rules intact

April 1, 2011 – The Republican-led House on Friday passed a $59 billion funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration with labor provisions that have drawn a veto threat from President Obama.

The House defeated an amendment to remove the controversial provision affecting union elections in a 206-220 vote. The overall measure was approved 223-196.

The fight over the rules for union elections overwhelmed debate on the underlying bill, which would fund the FAA for the next four years after 17 short-term extensions.

At issue are rules adopted last year by the National Mediation Board that make it easier for workers to unionize.

Under the NMB's rules, only votes in favor of or against forming a union count in an election. Before the NMB's action, employees who did not vote in a union election were counted as votes against forming a union. That created a much bigger hurdle for a union to organize.

The House language in the FAA bill would undo those rules.

The White House on Wednesday warned that President Obama would veto the FAA bill if it included the union provision. It is also unclear whether the House bill could move through the Senate with that language, given Democratic control of the upper chamber. Continued...

Obama signs temporary FAA bill

April 3, 2011 – President Obama on Thursday signed a bill that funds the Federal Aviation Administration re-authorization bill through May, as Congress began debating a longer-term measure that contains controversial amendments.

The White House said without additional comment that Obama signed H.R. 1079, dubbed the “Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011," which was approved by Congress earlier this week. It continues FAA funding at current levels for 60 days, with an expiration date of May 31. Continued...

Tell Senators to Oppose Anti-Flight Attendant Amendment

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul is proposing an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization bill (S.223) that would that cripple a decade-long effort to extend Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) protections to the nation’s professional Flight Attendants.

Since 1975, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has held unilateral jurisdiction over workplace safety for Flight Attendants, but without prescribing or enforcing adequate safety and health standards or regulations.

In 2000, the FAA and OSHA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a cooperative arrangement to extend workplace protections to the aircraft cabin. Sen. Paul’s amendment would strip the MOU from the FAA Reauthorization Bill and deny Flight Attendants the much needed protection and oversight that OSHA has provided to America’s workers for more than 40 years. Take Action...

Tell Lawmakers Redistricting Means Less Job Security Without More Jobs!

The 2011 fight for jobs must go local. Soon state representatives and senators will be voting on redistricting. All too often, this process of drawing congressional district lines is used to protect incumbents – rather than the people they represent. With the proper computerized mapping, lawmakers can almost guarantee his/her own reelection. This year, your Congressperson will be looking to your state lawmakers for favors and votes in the redistricting process. Tell lawmakers redistricting means less job security – without more jobs! Demand your state lawmakers ask Congress: Did you make my job harder this year? Did you do all you can to create jobs for my constituents? Did you help erase my state deficit? Did you vote against my unemployed constituents? Tell them that congressional job security – the lines they want drawn – comes at a price: more jobs. Take Action...

Tell Your Representative to Support the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act

A number of countries, most notably China, illegally manipulate their currency to lower the cost of their exports and increase the cost of imports. This unfair competitive advantage has been a significant contributor to the decline of U.S. manufacturing and the loss of some six million U.S. manufacturing jobs.

The Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act, HR 2378, will apply countervailing duties to the goods produced by countries that illegally manipulate their currency. Tell your Representative to support HR 2378 and help rebuild American manufacturing.Take Action...

Act Now to Secure FAA Reauthorization

Every three to five years the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is funded through legislation in the House and Senate. This is one of the few opportunities for Congress to provide direction and oversight to this agency which is so critical to airline workers.
TAKE ACTION: To help secure passage of the FAA Reauthorization, use this link to send an e-mail message to your U.S. Senators urging them to "Pass the FAA Bill."

Tell Congress to Invest in Maritime Infrastructure Projects

Legislation in the House and Senate could jump-start investment in the nation's maritime infrastructure and create thousands of good-paying jobs. Take Action: Click here to tell Congress to invest in America's maritime industry.

Independent Report Slams Space Privatization

The final draft of an independent report on the future of the U.S. space program finds significant shortcomings in the plan to restructure NASA as proposed by President Obama. Take Action: Click here to send a message to Congress to support America's manned space program.

Tell Congress to Pass the TRADE Act

It's time to stop exporting North American jobs and enact trade agreements that protect workers and communities, not devastate them. A new bill in Congress, the TRADE (Trade, Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment) Act, fundamentally changes how the U.S. negotiates trade agreements. The TRADE Act puts workers, communities, and the environment before the interests of multinational corporations. The TRADE Act seeks to make global trade work for all of us. Urge your Senators and Representative in Congress to cosponsor this important legislation. Take Action...

Support Fairness for Flight Service Personnel

IAM-represented Flight Service Specialists at Lockheed Martin play a critical role in ensuring the safety of America’s skies, providing weather, flight and other vital information to civil aviation pilots across the country. When the Federal Aviation Administration privatized Flight Service in 2005, it deprived the Specialists of their early retirement federal pensions – a benefit that Specialists had paid for with increased contributions out of their own paychecks!

H.R. 5115, introduced by Congressman Mark Schauer (D, MI), is designed to right this wrong. If enacted, H.R. 5115 will permit Flight Service personnel who were involuntarily privatized in 2005 to count their subsequent time as privatized Flight Service employees (or with another job in the federal government) toward their years of service necessary to qualify for enhanced federal early retirement benefits and toward the calculation of their federal benefits. Covered individuals will qualify for early retirement benefits if they: (1) reach age 50 with 20 years of service, counting qualified post-FAA time; (2) have 25 or more years of service, counting qualified post-FAA time; or (3) reach age 56.

You can help support fairness for Flight Service Specialists. Click here to tell Congress to restore the retirement benefits Flight Service Specialists rightfully earned.