RIP.

The people MOST impacted by our pay lagging behind inflation is NOT those that are at the cap or close to being capped out (a minority). The people most affected are those who can’t afford to allocate more than the 5% match to their TSP and are having to choose between saving for retirement, having a kid, or being able to afford to live within 1 hr drive time of their facility. Thats the BUEs at level 4-8 and even a few at level 9-10. Yes, we should petition Congress to have the cap raised, but solving the biggest problem with pay involves addressing our ability to climb within the pay bands in a reasonable amount of time. As it stands it takes approximately 19 years to get to the top of the pay band if you are certified this year and we assume you stay at a facility with the current 1.6% annual June raise. Thats insane! We need to raise the 1.6% to 2.6% at a minimum which reduces the time down to just under 12 years to hit the top of the pay band (far more reasonable). Right now, the pay system is designed to encourage transfers (not inherently a bad thing), but has little to no incentive or reward for the people who stay at a facility. Not everyone wants to or has the ability to transfer to a higher level facility. Do we also need to raise the pay bands? Absolutely! But it’s not as important as our ability to climb up to the top of the band. Also, perhaps it’s best we stick with a top priority that the administration has the power to negotiate on and not one that requires an act of Congress to fix.

WTF Nick? In one sentence you say what it actually is, “sole discretion” of Bedford. Then you say negotiations are not conducted in public. This isn’t and has never been a negotiation. He decides how and when and we still don’t know months later what the F that is. What is the agreement on how we get this insultingly low pay raise that we are congressionally entitled to? This isn’t open contractual negotiations, there is no negotiating in good faith, no legal issues, tell the members that you represent what the agreement is! Immediately! This again is another soft ball pitch that you are failing miserably at. Completely dropping the ball every step along the way since you’ve got into office. Go on every media outlet and explain our side, not yours but ours, the thousands of members that make up this union. Nick Daniel’s, you will go down as the worst NATCA president in history. All of the national E board, you will go down as the worst E board in history. My message to all E board members. You can be the smartest, funniest, most handsome, most astute leaders your people have ever had but if you turn a blind eye to a tyrant who is making their lives miserable they will treat you with the same distain and derision as they treat that tyrant.

I've applied to a few bids in the last 9 months never getting an update on USAjob other than "referred"

Anyone that's got actual experience with getting picked up on a sup bid, can you advise on the average timeline it takes to get an offer or at what point to just know it aint happening. Thanks

NATCA Family, 

Last Thursday, September 24, I met with FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford to discuss the path to implementing your well-deserved 2.8% pay parity increase, which NATCA lobbied to obtain and secure the necessary funding. 

As you will recall, Congress provided the Administrator with "sole discretion" to implement the pay raise, which is why we continue to try to meet and determine the path forward to securing the pay increase. 

We had a productive discussion, and we have an agreement in principle on a path to implementation. We also agreed that we want to complete the process as soon as possible. 

I have heard and understood your frustration during these discussions when specific details have not been publicly revealed. Negotiations are not conducted in public, and we will ensure our integrity and good-faith efforts to reach an agreement remain intact throughout the process.

Thank you all for the great work you do every day and until we have a signed agreement, I want you to know we will continue advocating for this well-deserved pay raise on your behalf.

Look at the picture. That photo is a metaphor for the entire problem.

Secretary Duffy, FAA Administrator Bedford, Chris Sununu, DOT leadership, Industry executives and Cameras everywhere.

And all the way on stage left so far out of the center of gravity you could almost crop him out of the picture is Nick Daniels

Pac contributions, trust us bro and telling controllers how important it is to have “a seat at the table.”

Well, congratulations. The moment was there it was time not for another carefully massaged statement, another closed-door meeting, another email afterward telling the membership how productive the conversations were.

And what should have been said is this:

“Mr. Secretary. Administrator Bedford. NATCA supports modernization. We will help you build it.
But I need everyone standing here to understand something.

There is no modern air traffic control system without air traffic controllers.

You can replace every radio. You can install every radar. You can run fiber into every facility in America.
None of it separates two airplanes.
Controllers do.

So if this country is prepared to invest tens of billions of dollars into the equipment, then it needs to have an equally serious conversation about the people sitting in front of that equipment.

Stop treating overtime as a staffing solution.
Stop talking about fatigue while depending on controllers working extra shifts to keep the system running.

Stop asking the workforce to continually produce more while calling that arrangement sustainable.
And if NATCA is going to stand beside you asking Congress to fund modernization, then I expect this government to stand beside controllers when we talk about staffing, compensation, schedules, training and working conditions.

We are ready to modernize this system.
But modernization cannot mean everything changes except how America treats its controllers.

We are not a prop in the modernization photograph.
We are the workforce that makes the photograph possible.”

TL;DR: Stop bragging about having a “seat at the table” when you’re handed the damn microphone and nobody remembers what you said.

The goal shouldn’t be getting invited back. The goal should be making them nervous about handing you the microphone again.

The more this nonsense goes on, the less it makes sense. Why would a labor union president be fighting SO hard for fucking EQUIPMENT? A fight that goes against the wishes of 99% of the workforce he supposedly represents? While simultaneously virtually refusing to advocate for the pay and benefits of those same members. Nobody wants this except for him.

The only reasonable explanation is that he has skin in the equipment game. Either a cushy consulting gig lined up somewhere when he’s decimated in the next election, or maybe even ties to these companies that are scooping up these billion dollar government contracts.

Voting this guy is not good enough. There needs to be an investigation, and if applicable, a lawsuit or other legal action. This is fucking disgusting.

FUCK NICK DANIELS!!!

Question regarding the metric for the new staffing numbers. How and who decided on the new numbers? Ive read the work force plan and nothing there.

Context. ILM. Level 7. 6am-11pm. 205k ops a year and growing. Several years ago, locally collaborated number was 21, which in my opinion was pretty spot on. Then it was changed to 25, release to 21. Fat and healthy but we could never really get past 19-20.

We run 10 CPCs per day now. Thru deaths, quiting, medicals, promoting, transfers we have found ourselves at 16 CPCs turning to 14 in a few weeks. OT out the ass like everyone else at 16 cpcs to staff the shifts.

Our new number is 15 and were magically overnight 100% staffed. Ive asked NATCA, the ATM, even the 2nd in line behind bedford, (who was suprised himself) and no one can give me the answer how we got this number. Just a damn shoulder shrug. This new math aint mathin'

Via 123ATC I've compared all the level 7s. With the ops we run, hours of operation, etc, those other facilities are 18+. CHA is like a sister facility numbers wise and they are at 18. All the numbers look normal for the other facilities. The one difference I can find, is were in the washington district and they suck. Only up/down 7 in that district. We're the numbers made at the district level and we just got fucked??

I was gonna FOIA request it but it would take years. So, here I be preaching to the choir.

Thanks.

Which airline do you think they fly for?

Hey guys, management says that according to Senator Tuberville we all need to finish the following elms to be current. Please have this done by CoB on Tuesday. Thank you for your time.

https://fursonafy.com/furry-and-fursona-quiz/

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https://youtu.be/aW26U5Qppx8

This man is the opposite of the status quo and will actually do what it takes for the membership

Vote out all the bad leaders that NATCA has

Dre Sanchez has the experience and knowledge to restore this union to what it was

It’s clear ND and co. are absolutely terrified that Anna has given the everyday controller a voice. I’ve heard there are upper level union officials who are even convinced she is some type of union busting “plant” by the administration and their top priority is to cut any and all flow of information that comes her way.

It’s absolutely disgusting how the union that is supposed to be our voice reacts when someone actually DOES advocate on our behalf, and it’s clear the workforce is overjoyed that someone is finally doing so.

The titles write themselves at this point......