WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) tonight expressed disappointment
that the House approved a taxpayer funded airline bailout package that
ignores the workers who are most greatly affected by the tragedies of September
11. Schakowsky said that H.R.2926 includes billions of dollars for
the airlines and salary protections for the top executives, while failing
to offer a helping hand to the hundred of thousands of flight attendants,
the baggage handlers, the mechanics and the ticket agents.
“Every
single member of this body and every person in this country understands
fully that a functioning airline industry is vital to the functioning of
our country. Yet I opposed this legislation because remarkably this
bill completely ignores the heroes in the airline industry who were and
are most deeply and personally affected by the September 11 atrocities.
I am speaking of the pilots, the flight attendants, the baggage handlers,
the mechanics, the ticket agents - the workers who are now losing their
jobs as a result of the September 11 attacks. You can look through every
line of every page of this bill and you won’t find a single mention of
them.,” Schakowsky said.
She
added, “Those airline executives who earn over $300,000 will find a whole
section of this bill devoted to them, however. It says that they
can continue earning the same amount they did in year 2000, compensation
amounting to $35 million for one CEO, $16 million for another, and $12
million for a third. And if those CEO’s decide they’ve had enough,
this bill says their golden parachute can be twice that amount. But not
a word about the thousands of airline industry workers who’ve already lost
their jobs in the past week and the up to 100,000 thousand more who will
soon be unemployed.”
Schakowsky
pointed to the statement released by the Association of Flight Attendants,
which stated, “It’s sad how quickly those who sacrifice to make our great
country work, even in these times of tragedy, get left out when corporations
go asking for taxpayer money.”
Schakowsky
said, “These workers are going to lose their jobs and this bill says nothing
about unemployment benefits, job training or health benefits.”
She
concluded, “I am ready to help the airline industry - but not just a part
of it. Those who say they will help the workers next week or
the week after must be asked, Why wait? Why couldn’t they be part
of this package? Are they less deserving, less worthy, less needy?” |