Despite the announcement late this week of a Congressional deal to continue providing funding for the FAA, mechanics from several Teamster locals and representatives of the TAMC will descend on Capitol Hill to meet with key lawmakers. While short term funding has been agreed to that will run through December 31st, the group intends to focus not just on ensuring that attempts by Republicans to force a repeal of recently introduced voting procedure changes by the NMB for airline employee unions; they also intend to push lawmakers to ensure that one single standard of safety remains a cornerstone of FAA policy to ensure that aircraft are properly maintained by properly certificated individuals who have had specific training and have passed the same rigorous security and background checks as their counterparts in the US.
“Airlines should never be allowed to compromise the safety of flight and cabin crews or the travelling public by using cheaper cost maintenance facilities whose employees may not have the necessary training or oversight to repair the aircraft,” said Chris Moore of the TAMC. “Additionally, when you consider the security concerns we face on a daily basis, it is unconscionable for anyone to allow people to work on aircraft without proper security and background checks being completed on not just the individuals, but the facilities as well,” he concluded.
“In America; we have a rule in elections; one man, one vote,” said Bob Fisher, International representative for the Airline Division. “Only in the airline and rail industries have managements for decades been able to count people who don’t vote as a “no” vote for representation. The NMB rule change has brought our industry in line with the rest of America. It’s time that certain airline managements and those they contribute to in Washington follow the same rules that all Americans follow,” he concluded.
