For Release: Monday, May 15, 2006
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

COSTELLO INTRODUCES DISCHARGE PETITION TO PROTECT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS

Washington - U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) announced today that he has introduced a discharge petition to bring H.R. 4755, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act, to the House floor for consideration.  Costello introduced the bill with Congresswoman Sue Kelly (R-NY) in reaction to the lack of progress in contract negotiations between the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and the FAA.    

Currently, the FAA has declared an impasse in negotiations, which according to law gives Congress 60 days to act.  If Congress takes no action, the FAA can implement the contract of its choice.  The Costello-Kelly bill would provide an additional step of fairness to the negotiation process. Under H.R. 4755, the contract negotiations would instead be referred to an impartial third party for binding arbitration. 

"These negotiations are too important to the nation to have the process be so unbalanced," said Costello, the senior Democrat on the House Aviation Subcommittee.  "I do not believe that Congress is going to take action before the 60 day window expires in three weeks.  A discharge petition is our last opportunity to try to get the two sides back to the bargaining table and arrive at a contract that both sides find acceptable and that best serves the traveling public, particularly as we approach the heart of the summer travel season.  Our legislation is a bipartisan solution to this problem."

To bring the bill to the floor, 218 Members of Congress must sign the discharge petition.  H.R. 4755 has 249 cosponsors, including 67 Republicans.  Seven legislative days must pass before members can sign the petition; it should be available for signature on May 23rd. 

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