CEI Vote Score Alert: Official Time Amendment to FAA Reauthorization Act

What: Gingrey Amendment # 29 to the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011 H.R. 658

CEI Position: Yes

The Competitive Enterprise Institute announced today that it will update its Congressional Labor Scorecard with scores for Members’ votes on a proposed amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2011 (H.R. 658). The amendment, brought by Reps. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) and Todd Rokita (R-IN) to the floor this week, would prohibit FAA employees from using official—that is, taxpayer-funded—time for union activities during the official work day. It would not repeal the right of any FAA employee to collectively bargain or arbitrate.

Representatives will receive a positive score by voting YES on the amendment.

CEI’s Labor Scorecard is presented on CEI’s labor policy site, WorkplaceChoice.org.

In 2008, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) conducted a survey of 61 executive agencies and departments. Of the 61 agencies and departments, OPM reported that 2,893,922 official time hours were used in collective bargaining or arbitration of grievances against an employer. OPM estimated the cost of these union only activities to American taxpayers at $120,730,471. 

Amendment #29 would prohibit the FAA from using of taxpayer monies to fund union activities.