The employees were fired “without cause nor based on performance or conduct,” the president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union said.

The family of a victim in last month's fatal midair crash over the Potomac River has filed a $250 million claim against the U.S. Army and the Federal Aviation Administration, alleging negligence and failures that contributed to the tragedy.

Despite the spate of incidents making headlines, the FAA is slimming down its workforce and one worker has already been laid off in Austin.