Arkansas Senator Backs Union's Position

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association has found a friend in Arkansas Democratic Senator Mark Pryor... who's introduced legislation that would force the FAA back to the bargaining table after it imposed its own version of a contract on NATCA.

Pryor tells the Northwest Arkansas Morning News the imposition of a contract will lead to the retirement of thousands of controllers... men and women, Pryor says, who won't stand for the new set of rules.

"Imposing current work rules would cause tenured controllers who are eligible to retire to go ahead and retire," Keith said. "They’re not going to work for less money."

As Aero-News reported, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey imposed the new contract on controllers in June, after declaring an impasse in negotiations... and a resulting 60-day cooling off period in which Congress refused to step in.

Pryor's office says the new contract cuts new controllers' pay by about 30-percent... but also cuts pension benefits. Based on the number of projected retirements and early retirements, Pryor says the new contract actually poses a threat to air safety in the US.

Pryor's measure now goes to a Senate committee.

FMI: www.natca.org, www.senate.gov/~pryor