Union to Distribute Warnings at Airports

Technicians who maintain the nation’s air traffic control system plan to distribute leaflets at 21 airports across the country today, complaining that equipment is being rushed into service without sufficient testing or user training. The Federal Aviation Administration, which is responsible for ensuring the system’s safety, said the labor union representing the 10,000 technicians is merely trying to spur stalled contract negotiations. The Professional Airways Systems Specialists union says a “rush to modernize” the system has caused equipment outages and traffic delays at facilities controlling air travel in several cities, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and New York.