Pilots, Flight Attendants Unions Applauds The Move

The U.S. House of Representative has passed an amendment to the 2015 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act (H.R. 4745) ... introduced by Reps. Lynn Westmorland (R-GA) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) ... that requires that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) follow the protocol contained in the U.S.-EU "Open Skies" agreement.

Currently, the DOT is reviewing an application for a foreign air carrier permit submitted by Norwegian Air International (NAI) that some say threatens to undercut labor standards both in the U.S. and in Europe by circumventing worker protections, evading international labor laws, and creating unfair competition for airlines covered under the Open Skies agreement.

The legislation's sponsors say it is designed to ensures U.S. airlines and aviation crewmembers are afforded a level playing field for transatlantic flying. The amendment prevents the DOT from approving Norwegian Air International’s (NAI) foreign air carrier permit application because the airline’s operations would contradict the U.S.–EU Air Transport Agreement, which specifically prohibits any efforts to undermine labor standards.

Passage of the amendment was praised by the AFA-CWA. "Our union is focused on stopping any scheme like Norwegian Air International from severely undercutting our airlines, threatening our jobs, and setting a harmful precedent that would undermine U.S. labor and safety rules. Together with aviation workers from across the industry, we will continue to push back against attempts to dodge laws and regulations that protect good jobs and the safest aviation system in the world," said Sara Nelson, AFA International President (pictured).

"We commend Representatives DeFazio and Westmoreland for their leadership in upholding labor standards and fair competition. This House vote sends a strong signal to the Department of Transportation that NAI's application is not supported by Congress," added Nelson.

ALPA also supported the amendment's passage. “Thanks to the tremendous leadership of Rep. Westmoreland and Rep. DeFazio, this amendment specifically prohibits shopping for cheap labor and simply requires the Department of Transportation to follow the law and provisions agreed to in the U.S.-EU Transport Agreement,” said Capt. Lee Moak (pictured), ALPA’s president. “Congress has a responsibility to make sure that U.S. airlines do business in a fair marketplace and that the U.S. government’s transportation funds don’t hand an advantage to foreign airlines that try to cheat the system.”

Despite the fact that Norwegian Air Shuttle, NAI’s parent company, has centered its operations in Norway and that NAI does not plan to fly to or from Ireland, the company has gained permission from Ireland to operate its long-haul flights as an Irish airline expressly to avoid Norway’s employment laws. With an Irish air operator certificate, NAI will outsource its flight crews through a Singapore employment company using individual contracts with wages well below those of the company’s Norway-based employees.

“By passing this amendment that blocks the Norwegian Air International scheme and any similar bid to contravene the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement, the U.S. House has taken a strong stand for fair competition for U.S. airlines,” said Capt. Moak. “We urge the U.S. Senate to support the U.S. House position and send a clear signal that Congress is committed to ensuring U.S. airlines and their employees do business on a level playing field.”

FMI: www.afacwa.org, www.alpa.org