Congress is back in session and Republicans are right back to shutdown threats. Once again Republicans are trying to use shutdown threats to bust unions (the 99%), once again doing it for pay, for a specific company (the 1%).

Funding for the Federal Aviation Administration runs out and the agency is threatened with being shut down again January 31. Republicans demand that Congress pass a union-busting provision for Delta Airlines in the FAA “reauthorization” (funding) bill or they will shut the agency down again. Delta wants a provision in the FAA funding bill that changes union election rules to say that any worker who doesn’t vote be counted as a ‘no’ vote, against joining the union. This is because flight attendants (the 99%) are trying to organize a union, and Delta management (the 1%) is trying to block them from doing so.

Politico: Transportation bills abound as Congress returns,

[FAA] Funding expires in exactly two weeks, and Congress had 4½ months since the last stopgap to work on a new long-term bill, the most breathing room since 2009. Optimism on getting a new four-year bill persisted until winter set in, when it was revealed controversial National Mediation Board language over how union election votes are interpreted forced negotiations between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

TPM: Labor Targets Vulnerable House Republicans Over Union-Busting Bill

The House and Senate have been grappling for months over a provision in the House GOP’s FAA reauthorization bill that would count abstentions as “no” votes when airline and rail workers want to form a union. Democrats were once thought likely to cave on the issue, but have held their ground on the issue as the public has soured on GOP-driven shutdown threats.

This has been going on for some time, and the best way to stop this nonsense is to spread awareness. Here are some past posts on this:

Nov. 29, 2011: Will Republicans Shut Down The FAA Again To Help Delta’s Union Busting?

Nov. 15: 2011: Government Shutdowns Get The 1% What They Want

August 3, 2011: Delta’s Greed Helps Shut Down The FAA

July 26, 1022: Think Default Threat Is A Yawn? The FAA Is Still Shut Down

July 22, 2011: The Hostage-Taking Just Keeps Coming – This Time The FAA Shuts Down

There’s more, I’m sure, but you get the idea. Help spread the word that this FAA fight is about union (the 99%) organizing rights and the effort to preserve a middle class.