FAA and union exchange formal labor proposals

Talks between the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association were held Tuesday afternoon, with officials exchanging formal proposals for a new labor contract, according to an agency spokesman.

The meeting was scheduled to last two hours and the FAA still has a strong desire to reach a voluntary settlement, said Greg Martin, an agency spokesman. But union officials would not confirm Tuesday's negotiations and maintained that talks broke off Friday.

NATCA spokesman Doug Church said there was a "process of exchanging written formal last offers" Tuesday, but would not say whether any meetings occurred.

"Formal talks ended last week," Church said. "This week was designed to exchange final offers."

Church did say legislation designed to put pressure on the FAA to complete the negotiations is gaining bipartisan support, including 40 House Republicans listed as co-sponsors, along with 97 Democrats. The Senate version of the bill has 27 supporters, all Democrats.

NATCA and the FAA have been stuck in combative negotiations over benefits and wages since July 2005. The FAA is an unusual government agency because its labor unions are able to negotiate pay, and its controllers are among the highest compensated federal government workers.

Under the federal transportation law governing the negotiations, the FAA could declare an impasse and decide to send a contract offer to Congress. Lawmakers would then have 60 days to intervene, but if nothing happens, that offer would become final.

The legislation, introduced in the Senate in January by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and in the House in February by Rep. Sue Kelly, R-N.Y., would amend the law and prohibit the FAA from implementing a new contract without authorizing legislation from Congress. In the absence of such a bill, the contract would become binding in 60 days.