NWP Reps/Members:
It’s been an extremely busy couple of weeks and I finally have an opportunity to write an update. As most of you know by now, the election results are in and less than 50% of our membership voted. In our region, only 45% of the membership voted; over 1,000 members didn’t vote in the Western Pacific Region.
Naturally, I am deeply disappointed that over 7,000 of our members decided to take a pass on one of the most important aspects of being a member in a Union. Every three years, we have an opportunity to determine the leadership for our great Union and chart the course for our great organization. Each and every member should participate in this process and have a say in whom we want as the leaders of this organization.
Voting is a first step of involvement and interaction with your Union. This Union is about U and I working together to improve working conditions for all. Your vote is your voice in our organization. Every vote does count! Just look back to one of NATCA’s run-off elections, it was decided by 14 votes. Lastly, if you don’t vote then you are allowing others to make decisions for you.
So just to recap, here is why I believe it’s important to vote:
It shows your involvement.
It is your constitutional right as a Union member.
It allows you to become more involved and hold your leadership accountable.
It shows that you care about the future of OUR organization.
I would like to ask that each and every one of you who read this update to talk with your circle of friends and have them talk with their friends and let’s ALL participate in the upcoming run-off election.
In closing, I would like to congratulate all incoming NEB (National Executive Board) members and thank those that will be leaving us. It was my distinct pleasure to work with Pat Forrey, Rick Thompson, Darrell Meachum, Scott Farrow, and Howard Blankenship. I would like to thank all of them and their families for their many sacrifices to NATCA.
In Solidarity,
Ham
NWP RVP
· Here is an update on the NATCA election run-off process:
“Any member who preregistered to receive an electronic ballot for the balloting that concluded on July 31 will automatically receive an electronic ballot for the runoff election. There will be no additional preregistration period in the runoff election.
Members who did not preregister to receive an electronic ballot for the balloting that concluded on July 31 will receive a mail ballot package for the runoff election. The mail ballot package will again contain instructions on how members may vote online in lieu of returning the mail ballot.
Please note that, pursuant to NATCA’s election rules, any member who votes online AND returns a mail ballot will have both votes invalidated.
MEMBERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE BALLOTING INSTRUCTIONS IN THE MAIL BALLOT PACKAGE. In the balloting that concluded on July 31, a large number of members failed to follow the instructions on the ballot to remove the perforated section of the ballot containing his or her marked votes from the section of the ballot with his or her identifying information.
Any questions about the procedures for the runoff election should be directed to National Election Committee Chairman Mike Patterson (atcmp@aol.com) or NATCA General Counsel Marguerite L. Graf (mgraf@natcadc.org).”
· Tomorrow, Thursday August 13, 2009, NATCA is supposed to receive the arbitrator’s decision on our pay, annual leave, position description, rights of Union officials, and duration. Pat Forrey is trying to determine when this will happen tomorrow. Our plan is to share the decision with the membership and then schedule some national telcon’s to explain the decision and answer questions.
· I held a ‘Skype’ video telcon with some members from SFO at their local get together. Yet another way to effectively communicate with the membership; really cool! Let me know if any of you would like to try this out for your next local meeting.
· ZLA Facility Rep Garth Koleszar and I worked with Western Enroute on training failure placements, returning an employee to work following an off-duty incident, etc.
· Mike Hull and I worked with MYF Facility Rep Maliesa Swinson on some issues with their training room.
· NWP LR Rep Garth Koleszar worked with VGT and LAS on some Labor Relations issues and OSHA related issues.
· LAX Facility Rep/NWP LR Rep Mike Foote and I work together to expedite a members release from LAX tower who has an approved hardship.
· Mike Hull, Kevin Sills, and I worked with SDL Facility Rep Kimi Cooley regarding an incident involving a member’s off-duty conduct and a question regarding release policies.
· Mike Hull works with TOA Facility Rep Victor Morales and LGB VP John Grenert regarding Training Review Boards. If you are unfamiliar with the training review process, please review LR Chronicles #22 before participating on any Training Review Board (http://nwp.natca.net/LR_Chronicles_Search.htm).
· Congratulations to the new LGB Facility Rep Joe Alvarado and LGB VP John Grenert for stepping up and leading a terrific local set up by my good friend and fellow Marine Paul “Boogie” Bugarin.
· I am working with Western Terminal and Enroute on obtaining official time for the SJC Contract Training scheduled for Monday/Tuesday September 28-29, 2009.
· PHX Facility Rep Steve Palmer and I worked on some local changes to mid-shift operations and a new Arizona District Policy on Quality Assurance.
· I worked with Barry Krasner regarding the upcoming ratification tour, the timing of the ratification, and contract training in SJC.
· TUS Facility Rep Jay Cole had a question regarding Union policy on giving money to charities or sponsoring a child on a baseball team. Here is my response:
“Your local e-board can vote to sponsor a travelling baseball team. You just need to discuss it and have a recorded vote on the motion to sponsor. When you cut the check and submit a voucher, attach the copy of the minutes with the motion to sponsor the team along with the vote and you are good to go. If you were asking NATCA national to sponsor something, there are specific guidelines to follow. You would submit all charity type requests to the NATCA charitable foundation and they would either approve or disapprove.”
· NWP LR Rep Chad Geyer, Mike Hull, and I work with VNY Facility Rep Rich Velasquez on some local changes, placement of security cameras, and some performance issues.
· I worked with ZOA VP Mike Ward to assist him on how to file an OSHA complaint. Here is the link to file an OSHA complaint:
http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/complain.html
· Mike Hull and Kevin Sills work with HCF Facility Rep regarding some changes with the RDVS and a FOIA request.
· A member had a question with respect to the new national officers taking office September 1 and who will be President since there is an election run-off. Since neither candidate for National President received a majority of the votes, Pat Forrey will continue as NATCA President until 30 days after the run-off election results have been certified.
· I would like to congratulate incoming P50 Facility Rep Mark “OJ” Wojtulski and thank outgoing Facility Rep Steve Hadley who will be finishing the remainder of OJ’s term as local Vice President. Mike Hull and I worked with a very motivated OJ on some off-duty issues, form 8500 (physical’s), official time, etc.
· The NATCA Basic Labor Management Relations web-based class is moving ahead with its second class which started on Sunday August 9. If you are interested in signing up for the web-based class, you can go to:
http://www.natca.org/natcaacademy/registration-basic-lmr.aspx
· Kevin Sills and I continue to work with Western Enroute, HR, and our member to resolve an issue with a settlement agreement in an ATOP training delay case.
· I worked with LAX Facility Rep Mike Foote, NCT Facility Rep Steve McCoy, and SCT Facility Rep Mel Davis to prepare for the FAA Administrators visit to California to discuss the recent DOT-IG report which was critical of the three facilities. We still don’t have a definitive date on when the Administrator is coming out.
· Mike Hull, NWP Consolidation Lead Steve McCoy, and I held a telcon with RNO Facility Rep Rich Ferris and RNO controller Dwayne Thornton on the RNO to NCT consolidation. We will be visiting RNO in September.
· Mike Hull and Jeff Tilley (regional Pay lead) worked with APC FACREP Debbie Young regarding the pay setting of a member that is selected to another facility.
· I worked with SCT Facility Rep Mel Davis regarding a lack of space for Air Traffic training at SCT. It appears that there are so many other lines of business at SCT, that there is an actual shortage of space.
· Mike Hull, Garth Koleszar, and I worked with L30 Facility Rep Sara George regarding a member who has been medically incapacitated.
· Our very own Bob “The Pres” Butterworth will be going to the AFL-CIO convention as an alternate. What better way to solidify the relationships that they started during their tenure as “Boots on the Ground” representatives from NATCA. Congratulations Bob, you have earned this brother.
· We have a new local in our Western Pacific family; Los Alamitos Army Airfield. On July 29, 2009, NATCA welcomed its first Department of Defense acquirement in ten years, joining Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (Oohrah) and John Roger Field in Kalaeoa, Hawaii. I would like to welcome our newest members at SLI Local. We will be assisting the Los Alamitos local with their Union elections and will begin work on a new contract for them.
