March 29, 2004
Close Dangerous Loopholes in Aviation Security,
Transportation Unions Tell TSA
Target Weak Oversight of U.S. Aircraft Repaired Overseas
Washington, D.C. – Declaring a "double-standard" in aviation security due to loopholes in federal regulations governing overseas repair of U.S. aircraft, the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) today renewed its call to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for an immediate suspension of maintenance on U.S. aircraft at foreign repair stations based overseas until rigorous security audits can be performed.
In regulatory comments submitted today to the TSA, TTD President Edward Wytkind strongly opposed foreign repair stations being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to work on U.S. aircraft without meeting the same standards as in this country.
"This double-standard jeopardizes safety and security and must be eliminated," Wytkind said.
TTD pressed the TSA to immediately begin reviewing "security vulnerabilities of stations located in countries that represent the most significant risk," a call it first made in April 2003 when it petitioned the Bush administration for an immediate halt in certain foreign repair until security could be assured. TSA’s rejection of this petition, and a subsequent lobbying campaign by TTD and its mechanics unions – the International Association of Machinists, the Transport Workers Union, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters – led to Congress mandating that the TSA develop new federal regulations and conduct security audits.
Saying that the September 11th terrorist attacks have only exacerbated these dangerous security threats, Wytkind said, "the reality is that security breaches at foreign aviation facilities can jeopardize aviation operations in this country . . . it is not hard to imagine how certified foreign aircraft repair stations working on U.S. aircraft could provide terrorists with an opportunity to sabotage U.S. aircraft or components that will eventually re-enter the U.S. for domestic service." Wytkind said there should be one standard for safety and security at all aircraft repair facilities, including equivalent standards for criminal background checks and drug and alcohol testing of workers as well as tightening access to and security of repair facilities.
The TTD statement noted that the number of FAA certified foreign repair stations has increased 325 percent since federal regulations were significantly loosened in 1988, and cited a July 2003 report by the Department of Transportation’s Inspector General which criticizes the federal government’s inability to adequately police the dramatic increase in out-sourcing by the nation’s airlines.
Close Dangerous Loopholes in Aviation Security,
Transportation Unions Tell TSA
Target Weak Oversight of U.S. Aircraft Repaired Overseas
Washington, D.C. – Declaring a "double-standard" in aviation security due to loopholes in federal regulations governing overseas repair of U.S. aircraft, the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) today renewed its call to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for an immediate suspension of maintenance on U.S. aircraft at foreign repair stations based overseas until rigorous security audits can be performed.
In regulatory comments submitted today to the TSA, TTD President Edward Wytkind strongly opposed foreign repair stations being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to work on U.S. aircraft without meeting the same standards as in this country.
"This double-standard jeopardizes safety and security and must be eliminated," Wytkind said.
TTD pressed the TSA to immediately begin reviewing "security vulnerabilities of stations located in countries that represent the most significant risk," a call it first made in April 2003 when it petitioned the Bush administration for an immediate halt in certain foreign repair until security could be assured. TSA’s rejection of this petition, and a subsequent lobbying campaign by TTD and its mechanics unions – the International Association of Machinists, the Transport Workers Union, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters – led to Congress mandating that the TSA develop new federal regulations and conduct security audits.
Saying that the September 11th terrorist attacks have only exacerbated these dangerous security threats, Wytkind said, "the reality is that security breaches at foreign aviation facilities can jeopardize aviation operations in this country . . . it is not hard to imagine how certified foreign aircraft repair stations working on U.S. aircraft could provide terrorists with an opportunity to sabotage U.S. aircraft or components that will eventually re-enter the U.S. for domestic service." Wytkind said there should be one standard for safety and security at all aircraft repair facilities, including equivalent standards for criminal background checks and drug and alcohol testing of workers as well as tightening access to and security of repair facilities.
The TTD statement noted that the number of FAA certified foreign repair stations has increased 325 percent since federal regulations were significantly loosened in 1988, and cited a July 2003 report by the Department of Transportation’s Inspector General which criticizes the federal government’s inability to adequately police the dramatic increase in out-sourcing by the nation’s airlines.
