Contact your U.S. Representative today and urge them to cosponsor H.R. 5090, bipartisan legislation protecting airline workers from unfair foreign competition.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) tentatively gave a foreign air carrier permit to Norwegian Air International (NAI) despite the fact that the company is structured to depress wages and diminish collective bargaining rights.
NAI is "Norwegian" in name only. It is a subsidiary of a Norwegian airline with an Irish air operator's certificate that employs Asia-based contract flight attendants and pilots. This complex corporate structure is specifically designed to skirt strong labor standards in the U.S. and Europe. DOT should not be granting permits to this type of anti-worker air carrier.
H.R. 5090 would stop DOT from allowing airlines to flout labor standards in order to pad their bottom lines. The bill is sponsored by House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Frank LoBiondo(R-NJ), House Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) and House Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Rick Larsen(D-WA).
This proves what TWU has been saying about trade agreements: Labor protection provisions don’t work unless the U.S. government has the guts to enforce them. The United States-European Union Air Transport Agreement (a trade agreement focused on air service) states that "[t]he opportunities created by the Agreement are not intended to undermine labour standards or the labour-related rights and principles contained in the Parties' respective laws." But despite the clear language in the trade agreement, DOT is refusing to say ‘No' to NAI.
TWU calls on the Obama administration to enforce U.S. trade agreements and defend good jobs and fair competition. Just say ‘No’ to NAI.
We won’t let this happen without a fight. Contact your representatives today and tell them to cosponsor H.R. 5090.
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