jdoniach
17th Jun 2014, 18:03
Dear family and friends,
My union, ALPA, is fighting a battle to prevent Norwegian Air International to start operations between the U.S. and Europe. We are not against fair competition on these routes, but NAI is proposing a “flag of convenience” operation with an Irish operating certificate (even though there will be no flights to or from Ireland) and crews based in Thailand. If the U.S. government grants approval to this operation, the U.S. airline industry will go the way of the maritime industry, which is now down to 10,000 jobs in the U.S. because all the ships are now operated by shell companies registered in places such as Liberia.
Last week ALPA’s advocacy efforts resulted in a significant vote (http://www.alpa.org/Portals/Alpa/PressRoom/PressReleases/2014/6-9-14_14.45.htm) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Westmoreland-DeFazio Amendment demands that DOT follow U.S. law and labor provisions of the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement (Article 17 bis (http://www.alpa.org/Portals/Alpa/DeptPages/GovtAffairs/LegislativeSummit/2014/NAIATADOTStatute.pdf)). This amendment was included in the House version of the FY 2015 Transportation appropriations bill which sets spending priorities for federal transportation programs. The Westmoreland-DeFazio amendment passed unanimously. You can read the amendment and the floor debate in the Congressional Record (http://beta.congress.gov/amendment/113th-congress/house-amendment/807/text?q=%7B) (scroll down to page H5175 at 2200 hrs).
This week, the U.S. Senate will begin consideration of the FY 2015 Transportation Appropriations bill (S. 2438). Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) will offer an amendment similar to the Westmoreland-DeFazio amendment which passed in the House. ALPA is asking everyone to contact their senators to ask them to vote for the Schatz amendment.
Here is a link that allows you to send an email to your senators:
Alpa > ALPA Dept Info Pages > Departments > Government Affairs Department > POPVOX Deny NAI (http://www.alpa.org/ALPADeptInfoPages/Departments/GovernmentAffairsDepartment/POPVOXDenyNAI/tabid/8726/Default.aspx)
If you have any questions, please let me know, and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Thanks very much for your help, and please forward this email to everyone you know.
My union, ALPA, is fighting a battle to prevent Norwegian Air International to start operations between the U.S. and Europe. We are not against fair competition on these routes, but NAI is proposing a “flag of convenience” operation with an Irish operating certificate (even though there will be no flights to or from Ireland) and crews based in Thailand. If the U.S. government grants approval to this operation, the U.S. airline industry will go the way of the maritime industry, which is now down to 10,000 jobs in the U.S. because all the ships are now operated by shell companies registered in places such as Liberia.
Last week ALPA’s advocacy efforts resulted in a significant vote (http://www.alpa.org/Portals/Alpa/PressRoom/PressReleases/2014/6-9-14_14.45.htm) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Westmoreland-DeFazio Amendment demands that DOT follow U.S. law and labor provisions of the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement (Article 17 bis (http://www.alpa.org/Portals/Alpa/DeptPages/GovtAffairs/LegislativeSummit/2014/NAIATADOTStatute.pdf)). This amendment was included in the House version of the FY 2015 Transportation appropriations bill which sets spending priorities for federal transportation programs. The Westmoreland-DeFazio amendment passed unanimously. You can read the amendment and the floor debate in the Congressional Record (http://beta.congress.gov/amendment/113th-congress/house-amendment/807/text?q=%7B) (scroll down to page H5175 at 2200 hrs).
This week, the U.S. Senate will begin consideration of the FY 2015 Transportation Appropriations bill (S. 2438). Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) will offer an amendment similar to the Westmoreland-DeFazio amendment which passed in the House. ALPA is asking everyone to contact their senators to ask them to vote for the Schatz amendment.
Here is a link that allows you to send an email to your senators:
Alpa > ALPA Dept Info Pages > Departments > Government Affairs Department > POPVOX Deny NAI (http://www.alpa.org/ALPADeptInfoPages/Departments/GovernmentAffairsDepartment/POPVOXDenyNAI/tabid/8726/Default.aspx)
If you have any questions, please let me know, and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Thanks very much for your help, and please forward this email to everyone you know.