It feels like this is their way to signal how they feel about labor-management-contract negotiations, namely that they really don’t care. If you recall, President Regan fired some 15,000 air traffic controllers after they ignored a Presidential order to resume work.
The White House threatened on Tuesday to veto legislation that would reverse the Bush administration’s decision to impose contract terms on the nation’s 14,500 unionized air traffic controllers.
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Federal law prohibits air traffic controllers from striking and the union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, has not threatened any job action.
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In a statement of policy on the legislation, the White House said on Tuesday congressional intervention could stall planned savings in the contract and increase pressure on the federal budget deficit.
Senior Bush administration budget advisers said they would recommend Bush veto the bill if Congress sends it to him. Bush has never vetoed a bill. A two-thirds vote by both houses is needed to override a presidential veto.
The contract to be phased in by the FAA would cut pay up to 30 percent for new hires, slow pay increases for current controllers, and rewrite work rules the agency said were costing it too much money.
The FAA says the contract will save it nearly $2 billion over five years. The controllers said their proposal would have saved about $500 million less.
Airlines back the FAA stance. They hope contract terms will enable the air traffic system to be modernized more quickly, which carriers hope will enable them to carry more people.
It will be interesting to see who wins here – the beleagured airlines, the FAA, and the union, or these “senior Bush Administration Officials”, upholding ideology, executive privilege, and their vision of the unified executive branch, granting the President with unchecked powers during periods of wartime.
