WASHINGTON, DC – Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement in response to the release of new federal regulations addressing passenger airline pilot fatigue:
“Today the Obama Administration took a major step forward in making air travel safer by addressing the chronic fatigue that plagues the nation’s pilots. I congratulate Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta for today’s action.
“The release of new rules by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration marks a historic turning point in the multi-year effort led by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), a TTD affiliate, to bring common sense safety reforms to the daily working lives of pilots.
“We are opposed to the exemption in this rule for the air cargo segment of this industry. The pilots that fly for cargo carriers suffer from the same fatigue issues that are addressed in this critically important rule. Looking ahead, we will support the efforts of ALPA as it advocates for uniform safety standards for pilots in all segments of the airline industry.
“The Administration has made great strides today in dealing with a fatigued pilot workforce but clearly there is much unfinished work in the airline industry and across the entire transportation industry to deal with chronically tired workers.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, motor carrier, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit us at ttd.org or on Facebook and Twitter.
