October 19, 2007 - Members of the United States Congress are turning up the heat on NASA and the United Space Alliance (USA) to stop their push to gut the economic security of America’s space program workforce. Last June, USA forced IAM members of Local 2061 at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center out on strike by demanding cuts in pension and other key benefits. NASA and USA are now making similar demands in other negotiations at the Houston Space Center.
Congress, who has oversight and budget powers over NASA, is taking notice. This week, Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, spoke out from the floor of the House of Representatives. Kaptur called IAM members “among the most talented and trained workers in our Nation,” and questioned NASA and the United Space Alliance’s attempts to take away pensions from their workers, while USA’s CEO, Richard Covey, qualifies for at least three pensions himself. “I would ask Mr. Covey and the folks at USA Space Alliance to pay close attention because Congress is paying close attention,” said Kaptur.
“We built a great Nation when America had a system where workers could be confident that their wages would increase with increasing productivity and that their retirement years would be secure,” said Kaptur. “I would just say that the Nation is taking very close notice of an agency that gets a $16 billion budget whose top executives all get their pensions and now who hire subcontractors who are telling the very people who have their hands on the equipment down at the Kennedy Space Center that, sorry, you don't get the same type of consideration by the Government of the United States.”
Click here to see a video of Kaptur’s remarks or here to read a transcript from the Congressional record.
Kaptur’s remarks coincided with a letter by IAM President Tom Buffenbarger to all Senators and Members of Congress urging them to stop NASA and USA’s unfair attacks on America’s space program workers. In addition, more than twenty House members co-signed a letter in September to United Space Alliance that it is “important that the workforce obtain a fair and equitable settlement in these negotiations.”
“It’s clear everyone is getting the message about NASA and United Space Alliance’s unjust attempts to strip workers of pensions and other rightful benefits,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “It’s time for NASA and USA to listen and settle this dispute in a fair and equitable manner.”
Click here send a message to Congress to Support NASA Workers Fight for Justice at Kennedy Space Center. Click here for more information about Local 2061 members at Kennedy Space Center.
