But Some Labor Organizations Remain Staunchly Opposed To The Measure

Response to Monday's passage by the U.S. House and Senate of a long-term FAA funding bill continues to be overwhelmingly positive, though some labor organizations are still unhappy with some provisions of the measure.

One labor group, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, (NATCA) cheered Congressional approval of the bill, saying that enactment will lead to an even safer and more efficient U.S. aviation system. "NATCA couldn't be happier with Congress' important action today," said NATCA President Paul Rinaldi. "A long-term reauthorization bill will help ensure a safe, reliable aviation system and clear the way for implementation of much-needed technological advances like NextGen."

"This bill guarantees that the impacted workforce – the FAA employees – will finally have a fair, collective bargaining process at the Agency," NATCA Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert said. "The final bill contains an essential collective bargaining provision (Sec. 601), which addresses the personnel management issues that permeated the FAA and soured its relationship with its workforce for much of the past decade. This critical provision ensures that the entire FAA workforce will never again have work and pay rules imposed upon them without a fair collective bargaining process."

Consumer advocate organization FlyersRights.org was also effusive in its praise for passage of the bill. "We would like to thank all our supporters across the U.S. and our champions in the Congress for making the Passenger's Bill of Rights a reality including: Senators Barbara Boxer and Olympia Snowe, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Congressman Mike Thompson," said Kate Hanni, Founder and Exec. Director of FlyersRights.org. "Airline consumers are now protected against a host of abuses and the skies are safer and more efficient today."

The new FAA Bill contains several provisions advocated by the group, indluding:

• A Tarmac Delay law, leaving it to the DOT to manage the rulemaking's for 3 hours domestic and 4 hours on the tarmac for international flights.
• Musical instrument provisions to allow musicians to bring instruments on board or checked at no extra charge
• A smoking prohibition
• "No Child Left Unbuckled" air carriers must now require seat dimensions be disclosed so that parents can choose seating that will fit an infant safety restraint
• Establishment of an Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection: There will be one appointed from each of the categories: Airports, Airlines, Government and one Consumer Advocate with Expertise in Aviation issues.

The bill also provides a requirement for airport weather contingency plans. FRO says many long tarmac strandings occur during extreme weather conditions. FlyersRights has long noted that those events demonstrate, time and again, this key provision will, for the first time, foster the kind of communication, coordination, and cooperation between the many players in our complex air travel system.

Airlines for America (A4A) president Nicholas Calio said "We commend Congress for passing a responsible bill that recognizes that commercial aviation is central to America's global competitiveness and a key enabler of job growth and U.S. productivity. Holding the line on federal aviation taxes and fees paid by airlines and their customers enables carriers to work toward being sustainably profitable, so they can maintain jobs and service to communities and invest in their product. This bill also recognizes that safety is our highest priority and includes several provisions that help us build on our strong safety record." Callio singled out Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), a well as Congressmen John Mica (R-FL), Nich Rayhall (D-WV), Tom Petri (R-WI), and Jerry Costello (D-IL) for their work on the bill. The group also thanked Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and John Boehner (R-OH).

AIA president Marion Blakey called passage of the bill "critical" to the long-term stability of the FAA, but also sounded a warning. "We have been advocating strongly and consistently since 2007 for a full reauthorization bill. This bill, which we urge President Obama to sign, will help make our skies safer, cleaner and less congested. Its management reforms and new policies will provide much-needed changes in the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, helping to spur the economy by generating thousands of private sector jobs while ensuring our national air transportation system remains second to none.

"However, not to spoil the party before it's even started, a major concern on the horizon is the specter of sequestration in January 2013. Because most of FAA's funding pays for daily operations of the national aerospace system, NextGen will be vulnerable to a disproportionately larger share of cuts if sequestration takes effect. It's imperative that Congress not ignore this issue – avoiding sequestration needs to be a priority now."

Several labor groups were opposed to the bill because of changes it makes in union organizing rules which they say will make it more difficult to put unions in place at airlines. Among those is the Association of flight Attendants (AFA), which in a statement called the bill a "vicious attack on bargaining rights for workers in the aviation and rail industries"

"AFA has long been a proponent of passing a comprehensive funding bill that allows the FAA to move forward on vital safety and airport improvement projects that help to enhance the world's greatest aviation system. Corporate interests and right-wing ideologues took this vital piece of legislation and used it to destroy collective bargaining affecting workers across the country.

"The 157 House Democrats and 15 Democratic Senators who stood up for collective bargaining should be lauded as heroes. Still, the sneak attack against American workers slipped through this Congress.  Elections have consequences and this vote will too. We will not forget and we will continue to build a movement of the 99% to stand up and fight back."

President Obama is expected to sign the long-term FAA funding measure.

FMI: www.natca.org, www.flyersrights.org, www.airlines.org, www.aia-aerospace.org, www.afacwa.org