Air traffic controllers, Bush administration at odds over jobs

[jamesinca]

Air traffic controllers, Bush administration at odds over jobs

LESLIE MILLER, Associated Press Writer Friday, August 22, 2003

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(08-22) 22:20 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

Air traffic controllers once again are fighting a bitter battle with a Republican administration, this time over a proposal to privatize some of their jobs.

The union representing 15,600 controllers says the plan to expand a program that contracts with private companies to run control towers at smaller airports is a step toward privatizing air traffic control everywhere. The Federal Aviation Administration says it has no such plans and only is looking to save money.

The dispute is the most heated since 1981, when President Reagan fired more than 11,000 controllers on grounds they violated a national security provision in their contract by striking.

The FAA in 1982 began contracting air traffic control at about 60 small airports that could not reopen after the strike because of a controller shortage. Now 219 of the 484 public airports in the United States with towers have "contract towers."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/08/22/national1507EDT0615.DTL

Bush is out Union Busting again.

[FloridaPat]

1. One of Clinton's campaign promises was to rehire as

many of the PATCO controllers as possible. For 8 years they were going through FAA school until Bush got elected. Then back to blacklisting.

[jamesinca]

2. It all started with Reagan

it is a nice article that will hopefully get some reading by the unions and they in turn will come out and support the Dems.

[Old and In the Way]

3. Yes, I want to fly the skies with private ATC that are being paid

minimum wage.

Why do Republicans hate America so much?

[jamesinca]

4. Bush is a cheap labor republican

think the current topic thru to compleation and you will get a hell of a good argument against cheap labor, mostly this: you get what you pay for.

[0007]

5. Here we go again, 'eh?

Does junior aspire to be like raygun? The answer is yes.

[Kbowe]

6. I will always remember Reagn for this...his union hypocrisy

While he was busy gutting the ATC union in the US, he was stumping for union power in Poland...those nasty communists were against Leck in Poland and all you could here day and night on our "liberal" media outlets was Reagan supporting the Poland's right to unionize while he was making toast of the union at home. The American people never did seem to recognize the irony and the hypocrisy.

[VolcanoJen]

7. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion by posting in the original, earliest thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=78746

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator