In the United States, President Donald Trump’s administration has begun firing hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, who maintain critical air traffic control infrastructure. This move came after a fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport last month.

President of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, David Spero, said in a statement that probationary workers received late-night emails on Friday notifying them they had been fired. Probationary workers are typically on the job for less than a year, have fewer job protections, and lack the right to appeal. The impacted workers include personnel hired to maintain FAA radar, landing, and navigational aids.