Union Demands Air Mishap Investigation
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
New York, NY –
The union representing the nation's air traffic controllers is demanding an investigation into 5 near misses in the skies above New York.
REPORTER: Air Traffic Controllers Vice President, Phil Barbarello, says fatigue is the reason for the mishaps.
BARBARELLO: They are working people 3, 4 hours now on position and at some of the smaller facilities they are there by them selves, for 8 hours. Quite often controllers are working positions that 2 people or 3 people should be working.
REPORTER: The union and Senator Chuck Schumer say budget cuts have led to increased retirement, understaffing and over-worked controllers. A spokesman for the FAA says facilities are sufficiently staffed, a hiring plan is in place and fatigue is not a concern because controllers get breaks every 2 hours.
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.