After Only 6 Months On The Job, David Feder, FAA Director Of Labor And Employee Relations Has Had Enough

It’s common in the world of high of government officials to hear resignations that are simply a polite way to acknowledge that someone has been fired. However, this time it appears that the resignation was genuine and represented a concern that the FAA is not complying with federal employment rules.

In a Fox Business News report, Fox claims they obtained an email that was sent to FAA employees that alleges FAA management may be violating the law when it negotiates contracts with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). According to the email, the FAA is accused of violating the laws in order to appease the union. The Fox report said that an anonymous FAA source says that FAA management knows “… They are breaking the law.”

ANN previously reported that FAA hiring practices of air traffic controllers have taken an unusual turn. Through an initiative established a few years ago, the FAA was promoting institutions of education to provide air traffic controller scholastic programs. It was hoped that these programs would provide a pool of pre-qualified job applicants for the position of air traffic controller. However, according to a previous Fox Business News report, hiring practices have since been altered that promoted the hiring of less qualified people.

The FOX Business News report included what it claims to be a copy of the email sent by David Feder to employees of the FAA Office of Labor and Employee Relations. It is quoted from the Fox report as follows:

From:  Dave Feder

“It is with sadness that I announce that I have resigned from my new position as Director, Labor and Employee Relations at FAA.  I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and working with you during my 6 month tenure, and I appreciate your hard work and dedication.

To dispel any rumors about why I resigned, it is simply a matter of a wide difference of opinion with the FAA leadership over how to conduct labor relations with NATCA.  I advised, advocated and believe that the FAA must bring the new 2016 NATCA contract into full compliance with the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, and that the FAA must at all times act consistent with the Statute.  The FAA political and career leadership disagrees.  The FAA is of the view that it is proper to knowingly continue contract terms that are inconsistent with the Statute into future contracts, in order to appease NATCA and to avoid NATCA opposition to FAA initiatives.  After 27 years of prosecuting Federal agencies and unions for violating the Statute and after 13 years of advising Federal agencies on how to comply with the Statute, I was not going to be complicit in intentionally acting inconsistent with that same Statute. Hence, I had no choice but to resign.”

The email finished with the statement, "I wish you all well professionally and personally".

FMI: www.faa.gov