ATC Union Says Democrat Would Be Better For Aviation

The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, has endorsed John Kerry for President of the United States. President Ron Taylor says PATCO believes that as President, John Kerry will take the necessary action to "correct the problems of the air traffic control system that have been severely ignored by the Bush Administration."

Earlier this week, the nation's other ATC union, NATCA, issued a statement favoring, but not quite endorsing, Kerry's presidential bid.

"The Bush administration has robbed aviation funding dollars that were supposed to have been used specifically to improve aviation technology," Taylor told ANN. "I think (Bush) is anti-aviation."

Chief among PATCO's beefs with the Bush administration is the fight to privatize more than 60 control towers around the country. "President Bush has led a more serious effort to do this," he said. "It's the old switch-and-bait. They promise better service, but put private contractors in the towers. Bad business has taken place there."

Taylor also took potshots at Reagan's policies concerning General Aviation. "Aviation security has been in place, but I think hyped by the Bush administration. We're being penalized for things that haven't ever happened before. We had a good system in place. We know what to look for. America has awakened to security needs since 9/11. Kerry will do better."

Kerry is the first candidate endorsed by PATCO since 1981. There's a good reason for that. Twenty-three years ago, the union endorsed Ronald Reagan for president. Reagan later fired PATCO controllers en masse after they went on strike demanding better pay and working conditions.

"Bush wants to privatize Flight Services," Taylor said in a telephone interview on Saturday. "They need to be professionals. Taking this work out of government is not in the best interest of the air traffic system. The system is already broken. There's a lack of control and a lack of accountability. Under Bush, it will only get more complicated, more fragmented.

"We have a second-class air traffic control system under Bush," Taylor continued. "Four more years of this and it'll only get worse."

FMI: www.patco81.com