Air traffic controllers share privatization concerns with travelers LAS VEGAS (AP) =97 Air traffic controllers worried about privatization of=20 their jobs shared the concerns with security-conscious holiday travelers at= =20 airports across the country Saturday, despite Federal Aviation=20 Administrator Marion Blakey's assurances they would remain federal=20 employees. "The Bush administration has set the dominoes up for=20 privatization," said McCarran International Airport controller Karl Keller= =20 in Las Vegas. "We don't want to be knocked down." Keller was among hundreds= =20 of off-duty controllers who briefed air passengers on their fears during a= =20 three-day leafleting campaign at 70 airports from Washington, D.C., to San= =20 Francisco. The publicity blitz was scheduled to end Sunday. The FAA told=20 controllers two weeks ago that their jobs will be classified as=20 "commercial" rather than "inherently governmental." Blakey clarified that=20 position in a letter Thursday, saying the jobs were a "core capability" of= =20 the FAA and would not be contracted out to private companies. Members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said Saturday=20 their job fears stem from the Bush Administration's public commitment to=20 shrinking government and not the FAA. At Chicago's O'Hare Airport, the=20 nation's busiest, controllers handed passengers candy canes along with=20 leaflets. "We're taking our case directly to the flying public," said=20 controller Robert Gibbons. Union leaders focused on air travelers' safety=20 concerns. Keller, the local union president, said that while the government= =20 made baggage screeners federal employees, "then they want to turn around=20 and once you get on the plane, we'll outsource your safety to the lowest=20 bidder." Controllers point to President Bush's last two budget plans, in=20 which he proposed studying whether private industry rather than the FAA=20 should handle air traffic control. In June, Bush signed an executive order= =20 stripping controllers of guaranteed government jobs Over 200 small, private= =20 airports use private companies to run their air traffic control towers.=20 However, all commercial airports have government controllers. The National= =20 Air Traffic Controllers Association claims 15,000 members nationwide. The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site: Roj (Roger James) *************************************************** escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: http://www.tntisland.com CBC Website http://www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ The Trinbago Site of the Week: (TnT News) http://www.tntmirror.com/ (TnT News) courtesy of Roj Trinbago Website & TnT Web Directory Roj's Trinbago Website: http://www.tntisland.com TnT Web Directory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************