AFL-CIO Claims Jobs and National Security at Risk
AFL-CIO transportation
unions tell ANN that they are calling on the Bush administration to
withdraw its flawed and controversial proposal allowing foreign
interests to control U.S. airlines.
Citing economic and national security concerns and clear
contradiction to existing law, Edward Wytkind, President of the
AFL-CIO's Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), made the
call in regulatory comments filed Friday with the U.S. Department
of Transportation.
Bowing to European
Union (EU) demands, the Bush administration proposed sweeping
changes in foreign control regulations in November 2005, paving the
way to an agreement with the EU on a new aviation services pact.
The Administration's unilateral attempt to change limits on foreign
control that have been in place for decades has prompted an
aggressive bipartisan call from Capitol Hill to withdraw this
proposal. To date, more than 100 Senators and House Members have
criticized the Bush plan and endorsed legislation that would
prevent the rule from being finalized for at least a year.
"Clearly, the White House is attempting to circumvent the role
of Congress," Wytkind (pictured, below right) declared.
"It is obvious that the Administration is so driven to placate
the EU that it is willing to embrace a badly flawed change in
aviation policy and snub lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in
the process."
Wytkind said the proposed changes would harm national security,
as foreign executives would be too close to U.S. carrier decisions
on security and could influence decisions regarding participation
in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program, which provides for reliable
and timely transports of U.S. troops and equipment in times of war.
For American workers, collective bargaining gains would be
jeopardized as airlines would seek out the lowest wage and benefit
workforce to fill critical positions. He contended it would
accelerate the growing trend of U.S. airlines sending critical
aircraft maintenance to poorly supervised overseas repair
facilities. Some U.S. airlines have already begun to explore
contracting out flight attendant positions to workers overseas.
In his submission,
Wytkind argued that the Administration has not made the case for
why these longstanding laws should be changed. He rebuffed the
contention that the proposal would provide better access to
capital, saying that airlines with "workable business plans" have
had no difficulties in attracting investment.
Moreover, Wytkind said that giving foreign interests control
over marketing, the types of aircraft used, and fare-setting would
run "directly counter" to existing law, most recently reaffirmed by
Congress in 2003.
A House subcommittee is expected to hold a hearing on the issue
in early February.