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Air Controllers Tie Safety Issue to FAA's Final Offer: U.S. Says O'Hare Talks With Union Are at an Impasse

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 April 2006, 09:00 CDT

By Jon Hilkevitch, Chicago Tribune

Apr. 11--Safety in the skies and at airports could suffer if hundreds of veteran air-traffic controllers nationwide retire early rather than accept a final contract deal offered by the Federal Aviation Administration, the controllers' union said Monday.

The warning was issued five days after the FAA declared an impasse in negotiations on a new five-year contract with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

"If the FAA unilaterally implements this contract, unfortunately it probably would have an adverse impact on safety," said Craig Burzych, controllers union president at O'Hare International Airport.

Two serious errors by O'Hare controllers last month led to planes taking off on collision courses on intersecting runways. Accidents were avoided, in one case when the planes stopped 100 feet away from each other.

With less-experienced controllers replacing journeymen, "that type of situation is more likely to repeat itself," Burzych said.

The controllers union has raised safety issues in the past during contract negotiations, but both the union and the FAA have always maintained that safety is their top priority.

FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said the agency's contract proposal "ensures that the funding, technology and people will be in place to ensure safe and seamless travel for the flying public."

The FAA said the union rejected a proposal that would preserve salaries and benefits for current controllers but reduce the salary scale for new controllers. The FAA said its offer would save taxpayers almost $1.9 billion over the five-year term of the new contract. The agency said the average controller makes $166,000 a year.

The union agreed to freeze the base pay of existing controllers during the contract, saving taxpayers $1.4 billion over five years. But the union has rejected the FAA's attempt to eliminate incentive pay that equals 10 percent of salary.

The FAA's final contract offer to the union now goes to Congress, which has 60 days to review it and the union's objections.

jhilkevitch@tribune.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, Chicago Tribune

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Source: Chicago Tribune

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