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WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2023 — The largest U.S. air transport labor union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), issued the following statement in strong support of the Senate confirmation of Mike Whitaker to serve as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA):
“As the largest airline union in the United States, with more than 100,000 members that range from ground crew to flight attendants, the IAM seeks a champion who will put workers at the forefront of the FAA decision-making,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “We believe that champion is Mike Whitaker,” Johnsen said. “We need Whitaker’s leadership at a very critical time for the FAA, which faces an uptick in airline travel, industry understaffing, needs to protect airline workers from passenger assaults and issues with foreign repair station policy. The time is now for the Senate Commerce Committee to advance the nomination of the very-qualified Whitaker to lead the FAA, and the Senate floor needs to vote to confirm.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
