- cross-posted to:
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- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
Summary
The Trump administration emailed air traffic controllers urging them to quit and accept buyouts 24 hours after a fatal Reagan plane crash.
At 8:30 p.m. Thursday, the email urged federal employees to pursue private-sector jobs, offering pay incentives and vacation benefits while on government payroll.
This program contradicts established rules by allowing second employment, sparking union concerns about losing experienced personnel amid an air traffic controller shortage.
Trump blamed previous administrations for safety issues and misrepresented FAA standards, intensifying culture wars as officials remain uncertain about the buyout program’s future.
Ironically Reagan fought ATC unions. They went on strike so he fired them and called in the military ATCs to cover their work.
And it was kind of a shit show for awhile.
There’s obviously overlap between military and civilian controllers, but it’s not the same job. The volume of traffic alone at a busy hub makes most air force bases look like quaint backwater airstrips.
There’s also just not a lot of “extra” military ATC.