PASS: 'Lack of Common Sense Delays Medical Attention'

PASS, the union representing more than 12,000 employees of the FAA and the DoD, tells ANN that, "Last week, an employee at Olathe Mid-State Operations Control Center (MOCC) was denied medical leave after complaining of chest pains to his supervisor according to the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS), the union representing FAA systems specialists."

PASS claims that, "The incident followed a disagreement between the employee and his supervisor about overtime staffing. In the course of the disagreement, the employee began to feel ill and complained of chest pains and other symptoms. Rather than immediately seeing to the employee’s medical needs, the supervisor left the employee unattended while conferring with another supervisor on the validity of the employee’s medical condition. It was almost an hour before a nurse, who was already nearby in the building, was summoned and an ambulance dispatched to the scene."

PASS continues, “Regardless of the circumstances, supervisors must use common sense when an employee complains of chest pains or any other illness,” said Dave Spero, PASS regional vice president.

“Denying an employee immediate medical assistance is inexcusable. We are very grateful that this incident was not life threatening and that the employee in question was released after evaluation.”

The employee has since filed a grievance with the FAA.

But The FAA Says...

On the other hand, FAA sources tell ANN that after a "heated discussion," the unnamed PASS member claimed to have chest pains. This prompted an immediate call to 911, and an ambulance visit. After the ambulance arrived, the EMS crew made a recommendation for hospital transport that the PASS member (initially) repudiated. The employee eventually relented and got checked out. Upon returning that day from the hospital (where he was found to be OK), the employee drove home.

FMI: www.passnational.org