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An FAA employee represented by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union maintains equipment.
The FAA will reinstate 132 technical employees who were summarily fired on Valentine’s Day as part of the Trump administration’s campaign to downsize the U.S. government, the union representing them said March 17.
The 132 FAA employees represented by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union were among 24,583 probationary employees fired on Feb. 14 across 18 federal agencies, Federal News Network reported.
Agencies including the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) were required to reinstate employees to comply with a ruling handed down by the U.S. District Court in Maryland, responding to a lawsuit brought by 20 Democratic attorneys general.
The fired FAA employees PASS represents—including aeronautical information specialists, maintenance mechanics, aviation safety assistants, and environmental protection specialists—will receive back pay from Feb. 15 and should return to duty status on March 20, the union said.
“While the agency is complying with a Maryland court ruling handed down last week that said the terminations at various agencies were unlawful, this is a win for public safety and for a critical workforce dedicated to the FAA’s mission,” said PASS National President David Spero. “Haphazardly eliminating positions and encouraging resignations creates a demoralizing effect on the workforce.”
PASS represents both FAA and Defense Department airway systems specialists and aviation safety inspectors. Its largest bargaining unit is the FAA Air Traffic Organization Technical Operations unit, consisting of employees who install, maintain, repair and certify radar, navigation, communication and power equipment.
The fired probationary employees had been informed by email that “[b]ased on your performance, you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the DOT FAA would be in the public interest,” according to written testimony the union submitted to the U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee. The terminations were effective the same day.
“PASS has learned from managers and supervisors that this could not be further from the truth,” Spero said. “We are pleased that the expungement of these letters referencing the false performance claims allows these employees to continue their service to the American flying public without this unsubstantiated blemish on their work record.”
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