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Professional Aviation Safety Specialists
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) is a labor union affiliated with the AFL–CIO through its affiliation with the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association. It represents more than 11,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense employees (civilian employees at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point). These employees install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures, and perform quality analyses of complex aviation systems used in air traffic control and national defense in the United States and abroad.
The union was founded in 1977 by Howard Johannssen, an FAA safety technician in the agency's Air Traffic Organization. National President David J. Spero is serving his second three-year term, having been reelected in September 2024. Carlos Aguirre was elected national vice president in October 2018, and his title changed to secretary-treasurer later that year. Previous presidents of PASS include Johannssen (1977–1994), Jack Johnson (1994–1997), Mike Fanfalone (1997–2003), Tom Brantley (2003–2012), and Mike Perrone (2012-2021).
Johannssen and 50 of his colleagues gathered in Chicago in February 1977 to form a union, fed up after years of second-class treatment at the FAA. An incident involving a fire at JFK International Airport pointed out the disparate treatment. Unable to unlock a door giving access to a hangar from which smoke was emanating, Johannssen grabbed a fire extinguisher to knock the door down. An air traffic controller saw what was happening and helped. After the incident, Johannssen was told he was facing a suspension for destroying government property. The air traffic controller was given a $500 reward. It was time to form a union.
In 1991, employees in the FAA's Flight Standards Service, part of Aviation Safety, voted to join the union.
Employees covered under PASS include systems specialists, flight standards and manufacturing aviation safety inspectors, aeronautical information professionals, flight inspection pilots, mission specialists, operations staff, aircraft maintenance employees, legal instruments examiners, compliance specialists and support staff.
PASS-represented employees are instrumental in the successful implementation of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to modernization the nation's air traffic control system. “The NextGen portfolio encompasses the planning and implementation of innovative new technologies and airspace procedures after thorough testing for safety.”
As part of NextGen, in 2016, PASS members helped complete Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Program System (STARS) deployment at the11 largest TRACONs (terminal radar approach control facility) and air traffic control towers in the country.
Throughout its history, PASS has fought efforts to privatize the nation's air traffic control system. In 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush signed an executive order allowing the government to hire a private entity to take over air traffic control functions Then-PASS President Fanfalone said the union’s “concern is that the radar that monitors our skies and the voice and radio systems that provide critical communication capabilities should be maintained and certified by committed public servants, answerable to the American people, and not controlled by private interests most concerned about a bottom line.”
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Professional Aviation Safety Specialists
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) is a labor union affiliated with the AFL–CIO through its affiliation with the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association. It represents more than 11,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense employees (civilian employees at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point). These employees install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures, and perform quality analyses of complex aviation systems used in air traffic control and national defense in the United States and abroad.
The union was founded in 1977 by Howard Johannssen, an FAA safety technician in the agency's Air Traffic Organization. National President David J. Spero is serving his second three-year term, having been reelected in September 2024. Carlos Aguirre was elected national vice president in October 2018, and his title changed to secretary-treasurer later that year. Previous presidents of PASS include Johannssen (1977–1994), Jack Johnson (1994–1997), Mike Fanfalone (1997–2003), Tom Brantley (2003–2012), and Mike Perrone (2012-2021).
Johannssen and 50 of his colleagues gathered in Chicago in February 1977 to form a union, fed up after years of second-class treatment at the FAA. An incident involving a fire at JFK International Airport pointed out the disparate treatment. Unable to unlock a door giving access to a hangar from which smoke was emanating, Johannssen grabbed a fire extinguisher to knock the door down. An air traffic controller saw what was happening and helped. After the incident, Johannssen was told he was facing a suspension for destroying government property. The air traffic controller was given a $500 reward. It was time to form a union.
In 1991, employees in the FAA's Flight Standards Service, part of Aviation Safety, voted to join the union.
Employees covered under PASS include systems specialists, flight standards and manufacturing aviation safety inspectors, aeronautical information professionals, flight inspection pilots, mission specialists, operations staff, aircraft maintenance employees, legal instruments examiners, compliance specialists and support staff.
PASS-represented employees are instrumental in the successful implementation of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to modernization the nation's air traffic control system. “The NextGen portfolio encompasses the planning and implementation of innovative new technologies and airspace procedures after thorough testing for safety.”
As part of NextGen, in 2016, PASS members helped complete Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Program System (STARS) deployment at the11 largest TRACONs (terminal radar approach control facility) and air traffic control towers in the country.
Throughout its history, PASS has fought efforts to privatize the nation's air traffic control system. In 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush signed an executive order allowing the government to hire a private entity to take over air traffic control functions Then-PASS President Fanfalone said the union’s “concern is that the radar that monitors our skies and the voice and radio systems that provide critical communication capabilities should be maintained and certified by committed public servants, answerable to the American people, and not controlled by private interests most concerned about a bottom line.”