4.08.13 press release

Flight Attendants Disregarded By Homeland Security Subcommittee
Key Stakeholder Left Out of TSA Policy Hearing
 
The below press release was issued by the Coalition of Flight Attendants today.
Click here for early press from The Hill's Keith Laing.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                

Contacts:
AFA: Corey Caldwell, [email protected]
APFA: Leslie Mayo, [email protected]
IAM: James Carlson, [email protected]
IBT: Galen Munroe, [email protected]
TWU: Jamie Horwitz, [email protected]
 
FLIGHT ATTENDANTS DISREGARDED BY HOMELAND SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE
Key Stakeholder Left Out of TSA Policy Hearing
 
April 8, 2013 (Washington, DC) – The Coalition of Flight Attendant Unions, representing nearly 90,000 Flight Attendants, was disappointed and frustrated by news today from the House Transportation Security Subcommittee. A representative of America’s flight attendants will not testify before the subcommittee’s upcoming hearing entitled: “TSA’s Efforts to Advance Risk-Based Security: Stakeholder Perspectives.” The hearing is scheduled to be held on Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 1:00pm.
 
Flight attendants are particularly concerned about TSA Administrator John Pistole’s recent announcement of a forthcoming policy change to allow knives through airport security for the first time since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The policy is set to take effect on April 25.
 
In the years since those horrific attacks, the flight attendant profession has come to include the role of first responder and final layer of security on board the aircraft. Despite this crucial role, Administrator Pistole did not consult flight attendants prior to announcing his sweeping policy change. In a hearing last month, Administrator Pistole admitted that he “could have done a better job bringing [stakeholders] in earlier” to TSA’s decision-making process.
 
In a letter to subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson dated April 3, 2013, the Coalition of Flight Attendant Unions requested the opportunity to testify on the hearing’s witness panel regarding the critical functions flight attendants perform in the day-to-day effort to secure America’s aviation system and the role their organization should play in the formation of transportation security policy. The Stakeholder Perspectives hearing would have been an optimum opportunity for flight attendants to finally contribute to the policy discussion.
 
Notwithstanding this setback, the Coalition of Flight Attendant Unions will continue to push for legislation to counter this dangerous decision. Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Michael Grimm (R-NY) have introduced the “No Knives Act” in the House and flight attendants are working on companion legislation in the Senate. An amendment offered by Senators Schumer (D-NY) and Murkowski (R-AK) was not included in the final Senate budget.
 
 
ABOUT THE COALTION: The Coalition of Flight Attendant Unions coordinates on issues of mutual interest to Flight Attendants. Members of the Coalition are the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, Transport Workers Union, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
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Click here for early press from The Hill's Keith Laing.

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Leslie Mayo
APFA National Communications Coordinator