Four thousand FAA employees to be laid off tomorrow.

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burrocrat said:
Spending our nation into destruction and ruin is immoral and evil.
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How is that happening?..show where this country can do without Roads Bridges, defense, regulatons and law and order...quit spewing factless 'save the world' so I can live in my mud hut diatribe.
 
Oh, my...

You guys are defending Congressman Murtha's most notorious earmark - The infamous 'Essential Air Service' program.

This garbage hasn't been funded via authorization for four years. If we cannot unfund a dead and corrupt Congressman's favorite earmark how are we ever going to pay for the welfare state? This pig funds the Ted Stevens Airport to nowhere as well. Oink, oink.

Looks like a turd, smells like a turd, splats like a turd - IT IS A TURD!!!

Dudes (or Gals), this parrot is dead. Sponsor a wake.

Please, give his earmarks a breather:p

They are old and tired.



By the way James, I don't think the San Diego airport gets the Murtha Earmark. Pigs at the trough. Don't forget that the author of 'Pigs at the Trough' (the one and only Arianna Huffington) paid a whopping $700 in state tax on an income of $4 Million back in 2003 - when she was dumb enough to run for gubinator of Kalifornea. Her Federal tax forms also were quite aggressive. Yuk, yuk...
 
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I remember how republicans whined about Rom Emanual's quote about not letting a crisis go to waste. Now, they just created one and aren't letting it go to waste and then say let us fix it, while they hold a gun to your head.

But it's ok if they do it. Hypocrites. Btw, democrats are no better.
 
Come on guys...

Congressman Murtha is in Earmark Heaven.

483px-John_Murtha_official_photo.jpg

He no longer cares about mundane earmarks here on earth.

The more I look into this fiasco the more funny it gets. These employees have been funded by earmarks (Only!) since 2007. If your job is funded by earmarks than you might consider it to be a bit less safe than other gubmint jobs. I guess this snuck up on them.

I hate to see folks lose their jobs. But, if these gubmint employees are actually engineers, doctors, and laywers - as is incestantly stated - than my guess is that they can land on their feet.
 
Ok, so this is a thread about FAA folks, not the debt cieling fiasco, but they seem to be connected. I will withdraw budget commentary out of respect. If I may, a closing remark;

quit spending, 'no', quit spending, 'no', clu-click quit spending, 'geez, we were going to quit spending, you didn't have to go holding a gun to our heads'.

everybody it's this simple: spend less than you earn. didn't your momma teach you nothing?

so we each got a choice, listen to your momma, or trust the congress critters.

not many of us will get a chance to break bread with a member of congress, but the next time you are at the supper with your mother be sure to let her know what you think of her advice.
 
You all totally miss the point.

This destruction of FAA Employees has nothing to do with saving money. It has nothing to do with balancing the budget. In fact, the republicans have INCREASED, not decreased the debt, as a result of their actions.

Read this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/opinion/28thu2.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

If they were interested in balancing- they would not have let the appropriations lapse. They aren't. They are interested in destroying the American worker. THAT is what this is all about. About destroying the ability of the American worker to form a Union.


That is what this is all about.
 
James,

This pig has been funded ONLY by earmarks since 2007.

In 2007 the House was controlled by Democrats and the Senate was controlled by Democrats. Even budget unconscious Democrats didn't fund this pig.

IT IS AN EARMARK.
IT IS AN EARMARK FROM A DEAD GUY.
IT IS ACTUALLY AN EARMARK FROM TWO DEAD GUYS.
THOSE BLOATED PIGS ARE DEAD, LONG LIVE THEIR EARMARKS.

To fund the rest of it all that has to happen is that the earmark dies an inglorious death and all the lawyers and engineers mentioned in the articles don't get to super easily form into a white collar union.

If we cannot defund a dead politicians earmark where are we to find the money to feed the poor?
 
The fight has nothing to do with the earmarks.

This is all about breaking the ability of Unions to form. Congressman Mica put the language defunding EAS into the bill, in order to blackmail and extract concessions from Senate Democrats to accept language changing Unionization rules.

If you don't understand that, then you are ignorant of the real power play going on over this FAA bill. It isn't about Essential Air Service. It's all about breaking Unions.

ONE MORE TIME LET ME EXPLAIN IT:

The Obama Administration last year, supported a change to a labor organizing rule. Due to the rules dating back to pre-world-war II, airline workers had different rules for organizing than everyone else. The National Mediation Board (NMB), until last year, had had the policy that when it came to Union elections, that someone NOT VOTING was counted as a NO VOTE. Companies were notorious for instilling threats and fear to their employees, saying if they voted, they would be fired. So many employees did not vote due to fear and intimidation.

Last year, the NMB changed their interpretation, and said from now on, they would count the votes for airline workers just like any other Union election held under other laws. From now on, they would count ONLY THE VOTES ACTUALLY CAST. If the majority of votes cast were in favor of Unionization, then NMB would certify the unit.
It made one-man-one vote the rule.

Here is Piedmont Airlines worker and union organizer Abdur Dilal speaks to CWA convention. Piedmont is the first group to utilize the new interpretation. If they had been under the old laws, then they would not be a Union today.

Three thousand baggage handlers and passenger service agents at Piedmont Airlines, based in Charlotte, N.C. and Phila., Pa., voted "Union, yes!" last year after the federal National Mediation Board remedied a rule that favored employers.

Instead of counting the votes cast in a union election and allowing the majority to rule, the NMB counted all the workers in a bargaining unit whether they voted or not. That meant a "stay at home" vote was then counted as a "No."

The Obama administration NMB remedied the blatant pro-employer bias in the Railway Labor Act, which regulates labor relations in the nation's railroads and airlines, in July 2010.

And these workers finally have a say in their place of work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cufuNWXuZg4

Congressman John Mica, and the republicans, are trying to change this. They have written into the regular FAA reauthorization bill, language which would GUT those workers rights, and put the rule back to the old anti-worker way. THIS Is what the fight is about. Mica then stuck that anti-EAS language into the continuing bill, in order to FORCE his will on the backs of workers who have voted for a Union.

THIS is why 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration workers are now unemployed. It has NOTHING to do with EAS, except that makes it LOOK like the fight is over spending.

It's not. If it were over spending, then why would they blow $200 million a week in lost tax revenue?

WAKE UP- It's attacks on workers- the little guys. That is the blood MICA is after.
 
James,

We can meet far more than halfway. I will huzzah in the streets. Actually, I'm more complacent.

I have looked more closely (using your link and others off it) and determined that we are talking not about unionizing Federal white collar workers - but instead private blue collar workers. This is probably biased, but it is at least clear (which is far more than I can say for other sources):

The old NMB rules counted everyone who didn’t vote as a “no” vote, translating apathy or inattention into anti-union votes.

The new rules bring voting into line with other private sector and federal government union voting rules, where the majority of ballots wins.

The rule change has made a difference in some cases. Voting under the new rules, 2,800 fleet and passenger service workers for regional carrier Piedmont Airlines easily won representation last November with the Communication Workers (CWA).
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I don't think Federal white collar tax collection specialists, engineers, lawyers, etc. should unionize. But I have no problem with private sector blue collar unions. And, all collective bargaining should be treated the same.

Here is my more than halfway spot:
  1. Cut the whole 'Essential Air Service' program.
  2. Allow equal unionization rights to airline/railroad personel.
  3. Fund the FAA only through the proper authorization process.

BTW, equal unionization rights must respect 'right to work' legeslation as well.
 
Meanwhile, 40 FAA Airport Inspectors are continuing their jobs WITHOUT PAY,and are having to pay their own travel expenses, because there is no money to either pay them, or pay their expenses.

According to FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Huerta, 40 airport safety inspectors still are on the job but are paying travel and work-related expenses out of their own pockets. Inspectors would have been furloughed, but were deemed excepted because of their safety responsibilities, he said, adding that they will be reimbursed when Congress passes an extension.
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I think that's an awful lot to ask of an employee, don't you think? Especially an un-paid one.

CONGRESS--- PUT THEM BACK TO WORK.

More: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=48407&oref=todaysnews
 
"We've completely shut down the NextGen operation," Randy Babbitt, FAA Administrator said. "That's come to a complete halt." Additionally, construction and modernization projects at airports nationwide have been sidelined, he said, putting as many as 70,000 construction workers out of a job. Replacing aging equipment and research projects have also taken a hit, he said.

...

Babbitt was quick to lay blame at the feet of a squabbling Congress, which has previously approved 20 short-term FAA funding measures without incident.
"This is a political fight," he said. "And if people want to have a political fight, they should go rent a ring, get in it and have it. But to take 4,000 innocent FAA employees and literally tens of thousands of construction workers and put them out of work, I find just unconscionable."


The funding breakdown is surprising, Babbitt said, because for years FAA has been one of the last preserves of bipartisanship in a divided Washington."And for some reason, we lost that compass heading on this one," he said.
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More at Federal News Radio-
http://federalnewsradio.com/?nid=35&sid=2474363
 
Re: Four thousand FAA employees laid off.

Senate plan to end FAA shutdown falls apart


WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans late Monday blocked a bipartisan Senate plan to end the partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration, making it increasingly likely Congress will be unable to resolve the legislative standoff before September.

Having resolved the federal debt crisis, Congress is expected to leave at the end of the week for its August recess. If that happens, lost revenue from uncollected airline ticket taxes could exceed $1.2 billion before lawmakers return to work a month later, senators said. The Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-controlled House are at odds over proposals to cut rural air service subsidies and to change a federal labor rule to make it more difficult for airline workers to unionize. Unable to resolve their differences, the FAA's operating authority was allowed to expire at midnight on July 22.

On Monday, Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., chairman of the committee that oversees the FAA, and Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, the senior Republican on the committee, floated a proposal to restore full operating authority to the FAA while cutting air service subsidies $71 million. The plan fell apart when Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said he would use parliamentary procedures to tie up the Senate in an effort to prevent a vote on the measure.
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See? It's NOT about the money of the Essential Air Service Program. Republicans don't care about the money, or they would have taken the deal.

No- It's about the republicans preventing American workers from having the opportunity to form Unions. And the republicans are now willing to let a BILLION dollars in lost tax revenue, and the jobs of 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration employees, and 70,000 private construction workers go by the wayside, all for their republican purity anti-labor stance.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/senate-plan-end-faa-shutdown-falls-apart-233254352.html
 
James48843 said:
Congress is going to leave town, leaving 4,000 FAA workers, and some 70,000 private sector construction workers OUT OF A JOB FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT MONTH.

View attachment 14762

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/...eaves-town-without-reopeningtheFAA?via=blog_1

Sad, sad day for America.
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Even more reason to vote these folks out of office when they come up for re-election.

Here in Cleveland they have been doing a lot of construction work on one of the runways at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. I noticed yesterday that construction is still going on.
 
From FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt:
Colleagues,
　
We are in our tenth day of FAA employee furloughs and project stoppages. Secretary LaHood and I have not stopped our outreach efforts to raise public awareness and convince Congress to pass an FAA extension before they go home for their August vacation. It would simply be unacceptable for members to leave Washington when our employees and thousands of construction workers are off the job.

I was at LaGuardia Airport today for a press conference with Secretary LaHood, furloughed FAA employees, labor leaders and local construction workers. We had to stop work on the $6 million project to demolish the old LaGuardia tower because we were forced to furlough the FAA employees who oversaw the project. The contractor for the project talked about how tough this was for the workers, his company and him personally. He said in his 28 years in the construction business, he had never seen anything like this.

I can’t tell you how touched I was to see so many furloughed FAA employees show up to the LaGuardia event. They embody the dedication and professionalism that is the FAA. Secretary LaHood and I assured them we are doing everything possible to get them back to work. We will work nonstop until this happens. I also highlighted the financial challenges that the lack of an authorization poses for the limited number of safety-critical staff who are excepted from the furlough, such as the need for airport safety inspectors to incur travel costs without knowing when the government will be able to reimburse them.

I know a number of you may be receiving questions from your furloughed colleagues about issues such as unemployment benefits, health insurance, and outside employment. I would like to highlight the FAA Furlough Information page that is regularly updated with new information, including the answers to many of these questions.

Ending this furlough and passing an FAA reauthorization is our number one priority, and I know it weighs heavily on your minds too. Our message is clear, Congress should pass an FAA bill before getting on airplanes and flying home for their August vacation - anything less would be unconscionable.

Thank you again for your patience and your overwhelming concern and support for your furloughed colleagues.

Best-

Randy
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James48843 said:
You all totally miss the point.

This destruction of FAA Employees has nothing to do with saving money. It has nothing to do with balancing the budget. In fact, the republicans have INCREASED, not decreased the debt, as a result of their actions.

Read this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/opinion/28thu2.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

If they were interested in balancing- they would not have let the appropriations lapse. They aren't. They are interested in destroying the American worker. THAT is what this is all about. About destroying the ability of the American worker to form a Union.


That is what this is all about.
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Unions Rock !!!
 
At LaGuardia and airports across America, construction workers clamor for Congress to give them back their jobs

Last week began with the hustle and bustle of any other work week at New York's LaGuardia Airport–except among the workers hired to demolish the old air traffic control tower. Luca Toscano of Paul Scariano, Inc., had to deliver a painful message to his 40 employees: "Congress didn’t do its job. So, you are barred from doing yours."

At airports across America, the same story has been taking place. With unemployment in the construction sector running in the double digits, Congress' failure to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration forced the FAA to issue stop-work orders on dozens of control tower construction projects already underway.


Meeting with workers at LaGuardia
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More :
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2011/08/laguardia.html
 
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