Take Action To Stop Assault On Unions In FAA 'Compromise' Bill

By Kenneth Quinnell — February 3, 2012

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Despite losing the most egregious anti-union measure in the Federal Aviation Administration re-authorization bill, the so-called 'compromise' that Congress has settled on remains staunchly anti-union and assaults the rights of workers in the airline and rail industries. Republicans had previously included a provision that would count all employees who don't vote in an election to create a union as "no" votes. That was removed from the current version of the proposal. However, a number of anti-union provisions still exist:

In a merger, unions and union contracts could simply be eliminated without cause.

The threshold for initiating a union election would rise from 35 percent to 50 percent, making it much more difficult for elections to even take place.

Threatens workers right to a secret ballot, allowing for intimidation of workers by management.

The list of employees required to meet the 50 percent threshold are controlled by management, and terminated and furloughed employees can be counted.

Employers would be able to pursue litigation related to the threshold, allowing them to continue to delay elections and results for years.

It would weaken the National Mediation Board and open them up to more intimidation and control by politicians.

Current rules allow unions to be formed by a majority of those ballots cast. This compromise does NOT include that rule, meaning it could simply be overturned by the next Republican president and his or her appointees to the National Labor Relations Board, effectively meaning that this right only exists temporarily.

Several unions have come out in opposition to the deal, noting that it is still a clear attack on the rights of workers. They are specifically angry at Democratic leaders for agreeing to the deal.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus has come out against the new deal:

“For the past year, we have worked to defend the rights of hard-working Americans across the country. Republican attacks on the middle class in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana have been met with national outrage. Sadly, Washington Republicans have failed to listen to the American people. Now they have created a situation where groups of employees are pitted against each other in the FAA reauthorization bill.”

“Members of the Progressive Caucus are committed to protecting the rights of all workers – from the collective bargaining rights of air traffic controllers and the critical runway safety provisions for pilots contained in the FAA bill, to the right to fair election procedures in union organizing drives for airline and rail employees attacked in this bill.”

“Members of the Progressive Caucus will protect all workers’ rights as Republicans continue their attacks on labor throughout this Congress.”

Take action and contact your member of Congress and tell them to remove these anti-working family measures from the bill.

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