February 29, 2024

After Another Temporary Patch, Aviation Workers Need a Final FAA Bill

The Transport Workers Union of America is calling on the House and Senate to finally finish a final Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill by May 10 – a deadline that gives Congress more than enough time to complete negotiations on vitally important legislation that would advance several TWU pro-worker goals.  

The House voted Thursday to extend the FAA’s authorization until May 10 as the current authorization was set to expire on March 8. The Senate is expected to pass the short-term House bill before the March 8 expiration date.  

“It’s been five months since the FAA’s five-year authorization expired -- that’s five months without a law that raises standards at foreign aircraft repair shops to close very troubling safety gaps and would make it less economically attractive for U.S. airlines to offshore repair work that should be done in America by American mechanics," TWU International President John Samuelsen said. “It’s time for Congress to finally get it done. Airline workers and passengers need more than short-term extensions.”  

The House-passed FAA bill and a bill marked up by the Senate Commerce Committee include language that holds foreign aircraft repair facilities to the same standards as U.S. facilities and do not include language sought by air carriers to preempt state and local laws.  

Other TWU priorities in the bill include:  

• Increasing protections against assault for airline and airport workers 

• Prohibiting remote dispatching for commercial aircraft outside of emergencies 

• Directing the FAA to review and update safety rules for ground service workers 

• Requiring flight crews to be given a reasonable break time to express breast milk  

Background: The long-term FAA authorization expired on Sept. 30 of last year and has been extended on a short-term basis ever since.  

###

The TWU represents more than 155,000 workers across the airline, railroad, transit, universities, utilities and service sectors. The TWU is the largest airline workers union in the United States.