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Robin L. Wolfgang
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Vows to Continue Push for Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC — The following statement was issued today by Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), regarding the 271-148 vote taken last night by Congress in favor of H.R 5449 to send the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) back to the bargaining table:
“The overwhelming vote last night in support of H.R. 5449 demonstrates a strong will in the House to stop the FAA from unilaterally implementing a contract on the nation’s 14,500 air traffic controllers. The procedural hurdle of requiring a 2/3 super-majority in this vote is the only reason we fell a few votes short. Despite the heavy-handedness of the White House and the FAA, a clear majority of the House of Representatives has sent a powerful message of strong opposition to the FAA’s unsavory tactics.
“TTD lauds those Members of both parties who want to send this bargaining dispute back to the negotiating table where it belongs. We especially salute Reps. Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) and Jerry Costello (D-IL) for leading yesterday’s fight for fairness on the floor of the House. We are also grateful to Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY), the lead sponsor of the Kelly-Costello bill which to date enjoys 267 co-sponsors.
“There remain several legislative avenues before us – and we will pursue those options until fairness in FAA bargaining is restored.”
About TTD
Transportation Trades Department, AFL- CIO (TTD), a Washington, D.C.-based labor organization, represents several million transportation workers in the private and public sector. The 31 member unions of TTD work in aviation, bus, mass transit, rail, trucking, highway, long shore, maritime and related industries. TTD works with Congress and the Executive Branch including the transportation related Federal Agencies to protect good jobs, increase wages, defend workers’ rights, increase transportation safety plus security and ensure adequate funding for our nation’s transportation infrastructure. Under the umbrella of the AFL-CIO, which represents more than 9 million workers in the United States, TTD handles policy and legislative issues related to transportation. Visit ttd.org for more information.
