See the letter from GVP Sito Pantoja urging support of the Assault on Customer Service amendment:
March 8, 2016
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
United States Senate
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2308
Dear Senator Klobuchar,
On behalf of the largest airline union in North America and the thousands of airline customer service representatives that we proudly represent, we strongly urge you to include language in the Commerce Committee’s FAA reauthorization bill that mirrors the Assault on Customer Service amendment that was offered by Representative John Garamendi and adopted by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The provision included in H.R. 4441 would simply make it a felony to assault an airline customer service representative, including a gate or ticket agent while on duty.
Due to the nature of their employment, which includes interacting with the flying public, dealing with angry airline passengers, in some cases working alone and enforcing airline regulations, these workers are vulnerable to horrific criminal acts. Airline workers are being assaulted on a daily basis. Airline passengers who are upset about paying more for airline tickets and fees, lost luggage, flight delays and cancellations are taking their frustrations out on innocent airline workers who are simply trying to do their job. Their injuries in some cases are life altering.
When airline workers are assaulted in the course of performing their duties, the safety of every individual at the airport is placed in immediate jeopardy. With increased airline ridership, more innocent people are at risk each day.
Under the current law, it is a “felony” to assault a flight crew member such as an airline pilot or flight attendant. This provision would simply add customer service representatives to the current statute without any cost to the consumer or commercial airlines. It would also send an important message to workers that we are not turning a blind eye to these assaults and would act as a deterrent for violent behavior toward all airline workers.
Again, we respectfully ask the Committee to upgrade the penalties for assaulting airline workers by including in the Senate’s version of the FAA bill the Assault on Customer Service Representatives language that was included in HR 4441.
If you have any questions, please contact Legislative Director Hasan Solomon at (202) 420-5902 or <mailto:>
Sincerely,
Sito Pantoja
General Vice President, Transportation, IAM
