Sisters and brothers,
Yet another month goes by and yet another month of NATCA reps/activists rolling up their collective sleeves in order to improve various facets of FAA operations and training. We asked and asked to be involved and engaged and now we are doing just that. Our employer has asked for our help and we have answered the call. As such, it’s very important that we do everything we can to get our members engaged and involved. Please do not attempt to do everything by yourself. Not only does this not promote activism, ownership, or a sense of accomplishment by your members, but it can also
contribute to rep burn out and a general feeling that, “they don’t need my help”.
There are many talented individuals among our membership that would be willing to step up, if they are engaged, given an objective, given guidance and direction, and given the autonomy to contribute to change. Please talk to your respective members, engage them, enlist their help, and give them the support they need to help your local and our union succeed.
Aside from a host of issues being worked at the regional level such as the LAX Tom Bradley Construction, RNO to NCT MOU and bonus, several hardships, disciplinary cases out of ZLA, P50 Mid-Shift staffing/operation, staffing at CMA, CRQ space issue, etc. here are some of the additional issues that we have been working on your behalf:
Debt Ceiling
I sent out an email yesterday clarifying that if the Congress is unable to break the current deadlock with the debt ceiling negotiations and the Government defaults on its obligations that no controllers/staff specialists/TMCs will be furloughed.
Unfortunately, many of our brothers and sisters in Region X have been furloughed as a result of the Congress not extending FAA Reauthorization due to politics. The NEB is currently looking at any and all options to help our brothers and sisters in need.
Flight Deck Training (FDT) MOU/Notice Briefing
The FDT briefing/Q&A will take place tomorrow morning at 830am Pacific Time. A revised call-in number has been sent to all facility reps. Since there are limited lines for the telcon, all reps are
encouraged to sit down with their management counterparts and call into the telcon together. If you have any questions on Flight Deck Training, please send it to the following email address: fdt@faa.gov
Fatigue MOU
Our team is meeting all of next week with the FAA in order to come up with appropriate guidance for the 2012 Basic Watch Schedule. As soon as we get any information on this issue, we will absolutely
share it with you. Meanwhile, if you have any questions on the MOU, please contact Mike Hull or me.
NATCA Academy
I continue to work with our terrific team to address many of our training courses at the NATCA academy; Carolyn Kamara (NATCA National Office), Jay Barrett (MIA), Chris Boughn (ZDC), Mike Hull (SCT), and Gretchen McMullen (NATCA National Office).
We have finalized our plans to conduct an Advanced Representative Training beta-class on December 5-8, 2011 in Orange County, California. We hope to have the advanced rep curriculum along with the instructor/participant guide finalized by March 2012. There are a limited number of slots for the class in December. If you are interested in attending this class, please contact Mickela. In order to be considered for this class, you must have attended the old Basic FACREP Class or the new Basic Representative Training (BRT).
Basic Arbitration Training- Basic Arbitration Training is now called Arbitration Advocate Training I. The new course content is much different than what we have previously taught at the NATCA Academy. The focus of AAT-I is on arbitrating conduct and discipline cases. Advanced Arbitration Training is now called Arbitration Advocate Training II. The focus of this class will be arbitrating Contract interpretation cases. Once we finalize the development of the Advanced Rep class, we will be completely overhauling both arbitration classes.
Basic Rep Training- Based on the overwhelming demand for Basic Rep Training (BRT) in the Great Lakes region, we are in the process of adding a second BRT class in Minneapolis to run concurrently with the first class (September 12-16, 2011). Once we have finalized all arrangements regarding this class, we will share the information with all of you.
NATCA Academy Automation- We have put together a team (Sallie Sullivan, Carolyn Kamara, Jeff Richards, Mike Robicheau, and myself) to look at automating the NATCA academy sign-up process. Our goal is to make the sign-up process more efficient and user friendly. The team will forward its recommendations to the National Executive Board.
FAA Training
Our NATCA National Training Rep, Garth Koleszar has been quite busy working with ATO Training on many issues impacting FAA training. We are currently involved in quite a few programs that hold tremendous promise for the future of ATC training. Here are some of the programs that we are working on:
Air Traffic Basics Course (FAA Academy), Basic Tracon course (FAA Academy), Enroute Stage II-IV redesign, On-the-job Training Instructor course, Controller Refresher Training, Training Communications, etc.
As the NEB Training Lead, I talk to Garth on a weekly basis on the overall status of these workgroups and any other training related issues. Having a NATCA National Training rep present in Washington, D.C. has greatly helped us in not just managing these various projects but providing real time expertise to many of the folks in ATO Training that do not have any operational experience.
September Western Pacific Regional Membership Meeting “San Diego”
Please do not wait until the last minute to sign up for our membership meeting in September (Sept 19-20, 2011). This will probably be our biggest event to date and there are limited rooms available at the hotel in San Diego. You can find the agenda for the meeting on our regional website at http://nwp.natca.net under the “membership meeting” tab.
New Facility Reps
On behalf of the entire NATCA Western Pacific team, I would like to welcome the following new NATCA Facility Reps to our team:
Courtney Beal (BFL), Andy Fancher (GCN), Brian Fox (DVT), Lisa Hogan (SBA), Jaime Jimenez (LGB), Kiernan McArdle (VGT), Tatchron Turner (SCK), and Nicole Voracka (RHV)-welcome aboard and thank you for stepping up to be a NATCA Facility Rep.
Please remember that help is only a phone call, text, or email away. As always, please do your best to first contact your Regional Labor Relations advocate that is assigned to your facility. Our LR Reps are there to help you with any question. If you need to know who your LR advocate is, that information is also on the NWP Website under the “Labor Relations” tab.
Regional Website
I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of the NWP website. There is a wealth of information available on the website to assist you with a host of issues.
As an example, if you are dealing with a Training Review Board(TRB), you can go to the regional website, http://nwp.natca.net and read all about the TRB process under the “Labor Relations” tab. Just click on the LR Chronicles search button and then click on #22. If one of your members has received an overpayment letter from the DOI, just click on the “Forms Library” tab and you will find a sample letter that you can fill out on behalf of your member to ask for a hearing. Please remember, if you believe the debt is valid, ask for a waiver. However, if you contest the validity of the debt, you must ask for a hearing FIRST. The second you submit a request for a waiver of the overpayment you have agreed that the debt is valid and you are not able to contest the validity of the debt anymore.
Excused Absence Issue
For those of you that have grievances filed regarding the Sunday/Holiday missed pay for the excused absence from the day shift to the mid shift, we have notified you to work those issues at the local level with your ATM in order to get these employees paid their back pay based on the national fatigue settlement. As soon as your respective employees have received their back pay, please notify Mike and Mickela immediately so that we can close these grievances out in GATS.
To close, I would like to again emphasize how important it is for all of us to get involved and participate in our Union. We can never rest on our laurels just because we have a Contract or collaboration with the agency. Just ask any of our 1186 Brothers and Sisters on furlough about the fight that goes on every day. We will always face those that are anti-Union and against worker’s rights. As has been the case throughout our Organization’s history the only thing that has held their policies at bay was our being engaged in battle and standing collectively together in the face of each and every onslaught they have made. Stand with us and we will stand with you. Together.
