Teamsters Airline Division Involvement Promotes Industry Change

The Aviation Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman Jerry F. Costello, today announced recommendations included in a new aviation safety bill, the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009. This announcement follows several private meetings with the chairman, staff and subcommittee members attended by Local 1224 President Joe Muckle.

“We had a voice in this process,” Muckle said. “The Aviation Subcommittee diligently listened to the concerns of safety experts and pilot union leaders and we saw our concerns echoed in today’s bill.”

Muckle met with Costello, staff and subcommittee members to discuss current and potential aviation safety programs, training requirements, pilot fatigue and the bankruptcy code under the Railway Labor Act on several occasions during July. His involvement on behalf of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters was to provide input on behalf of all Teamster air carriers to be considered for potential legislation.

House recommendations included in the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009 encompass a number of safety and training initiatives including the creation of an Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training Task Force, heightened FAA regulations, increased pilot training based on aircraft type and a new set of research-based pilot fatigue guidelines. Each issue included in the recommended legislation was discussed in detail with pilot union leaders.

A major component of the bill is the increased pilot certification requirement of the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate to fly a transport category aircraft. In private forums every represented pilot union agreed, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division, Coalition of Airline Pilots Association (CAPA), US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) and Allied Pilots Association (APA), that ATP Certification should be required for every pilot who flies in part 121 air carrier operation. This would be an increase from the current commercial rating which requires only 250 flight hours. The ATP requires 1500 flight hours with additional flight and aviation knowledge requisites.

During discussion of this issue in meetings, Muckle conveyed to the committee that the period between these ratings should be thought of as an apprenticeship, ensuring pilots gain knowledge and awareness that can only be attained through flight experience.

Union leaders collectively expressed concern that Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) and Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) programs require direct union involvement for the programs to be effectively utilized by crewmembers. The subcommittee took this into consideration, providing for input from commercial airlines and their unions.

Other portions of the bill which can be attributed to input from the Airline Division and other CAPA pilot unions include recommendations to: (1) Utilize current fatigue research to institute a new pilot flight and duty time rule; (2) Study current pilot academic training requirements across all accredited two-year and four-year universities, as well as foreign academic requirements; and (3) Truth-in-advertising disclosures which require airlines to disclose the air carrier that operates each segment of the flight.”

The opportunity for the IBT Airline Division to represent the best interests of all Teamster air carriers at a national level demonstrates that our Union is about more than labor – as a united group the Union provides guidance for the betterment of the aviation industry.” said David Bourne, Teamsters Airline Division Director. “We chose Local 1224 President Joe Muckle to represent the Teamsters Airline Division because of his past success on Capitol Hill.”

Congress began to prioritize airline safety issues in the wake of the Continental Express, also know as the Colgan Air, crash near Buffalo last February. In July Muckle, U.S. Airways Captain Chesley Sullenberger and U.S. Airways First Officer Jeff Skiles participated in private meetings with Costello and members of the aviation subcommittee voicing concerns that airline safety is at risk because of the industry decline in value placed on the airline pilot profession. Concerns expressed in these meetings also had an impact on the urgency for new legislation and improvements to future safety efforts.

The Teamsters Airline Division and Local 1224 undertook the initiative to work with the subcommittee to protect the safety of the flying public, as well as the rights of our membership.

Notable aviation professionals who met with staffers and subcommittee members include Local 1224 President Joe Muckle, ALPA President John Prater, CAPA President Paul Onorato, Captain Chesley Sullenberger and First Officer Jeff Skiles, Local 747’s Executive Council Chairman from Horizon Air Lines Trevor Bulger, APA President Lloyd Hill, and USAPA President Mike McCleary.