"We Are Open To All Sensible Options"

Representatives with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association tell ANN on Friday US Reps. Steven C. LaTourette (R-OH) and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), senior members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Co-chairs of the House Republican Working Group on Labor, released the following statement about the impasse between the FAA and the union, which represents the nation’s air traffic controllers:

We are deeply concerned that an impasse has been declared in these important talks, and have grave reservations about the possibility that the FAA could impose a new contract on the workers 60 days after the matter is transmitted to Congress.

It is important to note that no strike is looming, nor is one being threatened. Still, this is not a time for Congress to sit idle and simply allow a 60-day window to elapse so the FAA’s final offer is imposed. If Congress does nothing, the FAA’s latest offer will be the final word.

We fear that if the FAA’s final offer is unilaterally imposed on our nation’s air traffic controllers, there will be a mass exodus of highly skilled air traffic controllers eligible for retirement. This could leave our nation’s airport control towers understaffed. It could force remaining, lessexperienced air traffic controllers to work longer hours under even more stress, and it could force the FAA to scramble to find and train additional workers.

This could put the safety of the flying public at jeopardy. It could also cause tremendous disruptions at our airports, resulting in economic damage.

Congress has the ability to intervene -- not to take sides or force either party’s hand -- but to offer a better and less risky solution. We are open to all sensible options, including binding arbitration, which would be welcomed by NATCA. It is our belief that another 30, 60 or even 90 days of negotiations toward a binding resolution is preferable to the mayhem that may result if Congress does nothing.

We ask our colleagues to consider all the possible ramifications that a course of inaction by Congress could have, and we ask that all parties work toward a fair resolution.

FMI: www.house.gov/latourette/, www.house.gov/lobiondo/, www.faa.gov, www.natca.org