Wed, Aug 04, 2010
Union Head Has "No Faith" Program Will Be Properly Managed
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace
Workers (IAM) District 142 today announced it has withdrawn from
the maintenance Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) at Delta Air
Lines’ regional subsidiary Comair.
“We have discussed the problems with this dysfunctional
program with both Comair and the FAA for months,” said IAM
District 142 President Tom Higginbotham, “We no longer have
any faith that this program will ever be managed according to the
regulations.”
The ASAP program, a joint initiative between the Machinists
Union, Comair and the FAA in place since 2008, was designed to
identify potential aircraft maintenance-related safety issues and
develop corrective actions to improve air transportation safety.
The program is dependant upon technicians submitting reports which
are then reviewed by an Event Review Committee (ERC) comprised of
FAA, Comair and Machinists Union representatives. The ERC then
identifies any problems or systemic issues and develop corrective
solutions to prevent the same problems from happening
again.
The ASAP program is designed to take place without the
reporting technician having to fear any punitive or disciplinary
actions. Comair has taken actions against Machinist Union members
who have submitted voluntary reports, contrary to the letter and
spirit of the FAA’s ASAP program. Additionally, Comair has
failed to provide a collaborative environment needed for an
effective program to work.
“We should not have to wait for an accident to occur
before addressing safety issues,” said Higginbotham.
“We are disappointed that Comair failed to take this program,
which is effective and runs well at over 35 other carriers,
seriously.”
The Machinists Union represents 530 Comair Mechanic and Related
employees in Cincinnati, OH; Boston, MA; New York, NY; Greensboro
and Raleigh-Durham, NC and Detroit, MI.
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