TCU/IAM President Bob Scardelletti and IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger released statements criticizing a Congressional proposal that provides long-term Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding at the expense of railroad and airline workers’ rights to join unions.
TCU/IAM and IAM also sent joint letters to each member of the House and Senate urging them to pass a bill that does not cripple the rights of railroad and airline workers.
Included in the FAA Reauthorization bill are changes to the Railway Labor Act, the federal labor law covering airline and railroad workers, which would require the support of at least 50 percent of an employee group before a union representation election could be held. Currently, there is no statutory requirement, but National Mediation Board policy sets a 35 percent threshold. Other private sector workers who fall under the National Labor Relations Act need only 30 percent to trigger an election.
“In developing this greatly flawed proposal there was no consultation with rail labor or management, the two groups who worked with Congress to write the Railway Labor Act more than 75 years ago,” said Scardelletti. “It makes no sense to tie changes to the Railway Labor Act to an aviation safety bill.”
While the proposal requires the NMB to hold public hearings before changing its rules, this very proposal imposes new standards on the NMB without the benefit of any such public hearing.
Click here to view the release from TCU President Bob Scardelletti.
Click here to view the release from IAM President Tom Buffenbarger
Click here to view the TCU/IAM letter to the Senate.
Click here to view the TCU/IAM letter to the House.
Click here to view the related story from the IAM.