Rockefeller, CWA Blast GOP for Threatening Another FAA Shutdown

Sen. Jay Rockefeller and CWA are condemning anti-union GOP leaders in Congress for threatening another costly shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration, once again putting jobs at risk and delaying vital construction and air safety projects.

"We cannot continue on this disastrous path, but we do stand on the precipice of losing another FAA reauthorization bill this year," Rockefeller said, speaking this week to airline industry officials at the Aero Club in Washington, D.C.

The fight for FAA funds involves an entirely unrelated union issue. Delta Air Lines is pressuring lawmakers to stop funding the FAA unless a rule guaranteeing fair and democratic union elections for airline workers is overturned. The rule, set by the National Mediation Board last year, treats union elections in the airline industry like any other democratic election: only votes cast are counted. Previously, workers who didn't vote were counted as "No" votes.

Click to watch "Delta: Drop the Attacks, Put Jobs First," highlighting Delta's role in the FAA funding impasse and the consequences of another shutdown.

"I am angry at the situation," Rockefeller said. "I do not understand how this fixation with one airline can be seen as paramount (such) that the House would shut down the FAA to get its way."

A new CWA video, "Delta: Drop the Attacks, Put Jobs First," highlights Delta's role in the funding impasse and the consequences of another shutdown. Watch it here.

The earlier shutdown in July sent home 4,000 agency employees for two weeks, as well as construction crews on FAA-funded projects nationwide. In addition, hundreds of millions of dollars in fees airlines pay to the FAA went uncollected.

Rockefeller said another shutdown would have the same consequences, and would further delay progress toward the long-needed modernization of the FAA's air traffic control system.