June 28, 2007

WASHINGTON – A costly labor provision that the Republican Leader of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee termed a “poison pill” was attached to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill and threatens work on efforts to improve aviation safety and capacity and modernize the aviation system.

The provision would reopen a 1998 National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) contract, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

“The air traffic controller contract provision is a show stopper,” said U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Republican Leader. “Reopening this labor issue could kill our chances of having this measure become law.

“I have every indication from the President and his advisors that a bill including this provision that reaches his desk would be vetoed, and I believe the House would sustain that veto.”

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the provision today as an amendment to H.R. 2881, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007.

Turning back the clock on the air traffic controllers’ contract and reinstating the terms of the 1998 contract, including back pay, would cost nearly $400 million for 2007 and 2008, according to the FAA. The contract rollback would necessitate furloughs and budget cuts for other FAA employees, the FAA would be unable to hire new controllers in FY 2007 and FY 2008, and FAA efforts to modernize the air traffic control system would suffer. These costs would come at the expense of the entire aviation system and the traveling public.

According to the FAA, and supported by the Department of Transportation Inspector General, the 2006 total average cash compensation, including benefits, for air traffic controllers was over $170,000, making controllers one of the highest paid employee groups in the Federal government.

The NATCA proposal would also set up a new, ambiguous and untested labor impasse process that would be applied to the reopened contract negotiations. Indications are that this proposed impasse process is so ambiguous that it will likely result in extensive litigation and years of costly delays.

“The base bill, which we developed in a bipartisan fashion, contains some important provisions that would address the needs of the national aviation system today and in turn set the stage for the modernization of the air traffic control system,” Mica said.

“I encourage NATCA, the FAA and the White House to reopen their discussions and resolve the pending labor dispute, or I fear that this could be the death knell for FAA reauthorization,” concluded Mica.

“Despite the inclusion of these provisions by the Committee, I am still hopeful that by the end of this process we will work out a bill that will be acceptable to the Senate and the President, and that will meet the needs of the country,” said U.S. Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI), Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Republican.

Thus far, the Senate has also rejected including the NATCA provisions in similar legislation it is considering.

NOTE: This press release was originally distributed by House Committee on Transortation and Infrastructure Republicans