FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For further information contact:
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO
202/628-9262
Proposal Ran Afoul of Longstanding Federal Aviation Law
WASHINGTON, DC – The following statement was issued today by Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, in response to the Department of Transportation’s decision today to withdraw its proposal permitting foreign interests to control U.S. airlines.
“We are pleased that Transportation Secretary Mary Peters has withdrawn a controversial federal rule change that would have permitted for the first time in U.S. aviation history a foreign interest to control a U.S. air carrier. This decision answers bipartisan congressional calls for the Administration to pull back this rule and strong and unified opposition from America’s transportation unions.
“The Secretary’s decision sends an important signal to the European Union that “open skies” can be achieved without forcing radical and harmful changes in American aviation policy. It is our intention now to work with Members of Congress and Secretary Peters to promote a strong aviation industry while protecting the jobs and long-term economic interests of U.S. aviation employees.
“I want to commend Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Reps. James Oberstar (D-MN), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Ted Poe (R-TX), John Olver (D-MA) and many others on both sides of the aisle for their unified effort to block this poorly conceived rule.”
###
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 32 member unions of TTD work in aviation, bus, mass transit, rail, trucking, highway, longshore, 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 www.ttd.org for more information.
Transportation Labor Applauds DOT Decision to Withdraw Airline Foreign Control Rule