The IAM along with the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) and the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) have written a letter to the United States Secretary of Transportation, Elaine Chao, urging her to take immediate steps to implement three directives from Congress to ensure the safety and proper oversight of foreign repair stations working on U.S. aircraft.
Congressionally directed action regarding drug and alcohol testing, security screening for safety-sensitive personnel, and risk-based oversight at foreign aircraft repair stations are now years overdue—a reality that has led to a two-tiered safety system with glaring regulatory loopholes.
The current two-tiered system runs counter to the standards the flying public expects and that Congress has mandated. It is now past time for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue these rules and prioritize the safety of our aviation system.
