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The FAA reauthorization bill has passed Congress with its anti-union provisions. Once again big companies of the 1% were able to use their money and power to buy legislation that hurts 99% of us. And many Dems joined in. Watch the powerful video at the end of this post.

TPM has the headline that just about covers it: Senate Dems Greenlight Key Anti-Union Bill,

With the help of Senate Democrats, Congress took its final step Monday toward enactment of long-term FAA reauthorization legislation, despite an aggressive last-minute effort by organized labor to kill the package.

... Democrats and Republicans have been tussling over this bill for a year now, with the key flashpoint being language aimed at preventing transportation workers from forming unions. In the end, Democratic leaders agreed with Republicans on a new measure that largely accomplishes the same anti-union goals — and labor officials are steamed.

Huffington Post: Senate Passes FAA Bill With Anti-Union Measure,

The Senate passed a Federal Aviation Administration bill on Monday that includes an anti-union measure bitterly opposed by labor groups.

... Among the controversial provisions were changes to labor law for rail and airline workers -- backed by the airline industry -- that would count anyone who did not vote in an election for a union as voting against it, making it much more difficult to certify attempts to organize new unions.

That measure was stripped in a conference committee to work out differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill, only to be replaced by another that raises the threshold for seeking a union from requiring 35 percent of workers' signatures to requiring half.

Sneak Attack Against American Workers

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) issued a statement: Senate Passage of FAA Reauthorization Attacks Collective Bargaining Rights,

"AFA has long been a proponent of passing a comprehensive funding bill that allows the FAA to move forward on vital safety and airport improvement projects that help to enhance the world's greatest aviation system. Corporate interests and right-wing ideologues took this vital piece of legislation and used it to destroy collective bargaining affecting workers across the country.

"The 157 House Democrats and 15 Democratic Senators who stood up for collective bargaining should be lauded as heroes. Still, the sneak attack against American workers slipped through this Congress. Elections have consequences and this vote will too. We will not forget and we will continue to build a movement of the 99% to stand up and fight back."

Another bad day for labor, assisted by Senate Dems.

CWA President Larry Cohen, saying the FAA Bill is an Attack on Workers:

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