On April 15, the Department of Transportation (DOT) tentatively approved a Norwegian Airline’s request for a foreign air carrier permit to allow it to operate flights to the United States. Here’s the catch: That airline, Norwegian Air International (NAI), is registered in Ireland and will employ flight crews under Singaporean or Thai employment contracts and evade the employment and tax laws of Norway where its parent company is based.
Make no mistake about it: NAI’s plans have always been about gaming trade rules, gaining an unfair competitive advantage and beating down workers’ rights, wages and benefits.
Yesterday, the DOT comment period closed on #DenyNAI and while the 7 day reply period commences we turn all of our focus to Congress. Call your Representative to ask her/him to support for HR 5090 now:
Find your Rep: www.house.gov
“I am a member of the Machinist Union, a Flight Attendant and constituent. I am urging you to co-sponsor H.R. 5090, to enforce the high labor standards negotiated in the E.U./U.S. Open Skies agreement. We can’t let U.S. aviation be destroyed like U.S. shipping. This is about my job, our nation’s economy and our safety and security.”
