PASS (Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, the American union that represents aviation safety specialists), through the comment of its national president David Spero, announced yesterday the reinstatement of 132 probationary employees at the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration, the US agency that oversees civil aviation), among the hundreds of victims of the wave of layoffs that occurred last February, which followed a dramatic series of air accidents (the most serious was the tragic collision between an airliner and a US Army helicopter in the skies of Washington DC, see for details AVIONEWS).

The layoffs were among the first measures adopted by the new Trump administration. Spero already called them "a hastily made decision" that would have increased the workload of an already reduced workforce (that of the FAA, Ed), clearly referring to the Washington incident and two others in the weeks that preceded it (see AVIONEWS 1 and 2), as proof that it was not the time to cut the agency's staff. "Staffing decisions should be based on the mission-critical needs of an individual agency. To make otherwise is dangerous when it comes to public safety. And it is especially unconscionable in the aftermath of three fatal plane crashes in the last month", he added.

Yesterday, therefore, having learned of the reinstatement (thanks to the ruling of a Maryland court), he commented: "It is welcome news to have learned today that, effective this week, the FAA is reinstating the 132 employees we represent who were summarily terminated on February 14, 2025, while on probation. They will receive back pay starting February 15 and are expected to return to duty on March 20".

Spero continued: "While the agency is complying with a Maryland court ruling last week that dismissals at multiple agencies, including the Department of Transportation, were unlawful, we emphasize that this is a victory for public safety and a critical workforce dedicated to the FAA's mission. Eliminating positions at random and encouraging resignations has a demoralizing effect on staff. The fact that these excellent public servants, many of whom are veterans and all of whom are members of our communities, can now return to duty and collect a well-deserved salary for their professional skills will greatly boost their morale and that of their colleagues".

"More importantly", the union president said, "although the termination letter stated that they were being terminated for performance reasons and 'not in the public interest', PASS has learned from managers and supervisors that this could not be further from the truth, and we are pleased that the removal of these communications, which made false performance claims, will allow these employees to continue their public service in the aviation industry without this defamatory and unfounded stain on their resumes. These employees chose to serve their country, and now they can return to their important work serving the greater American air travel public".