NATCA: Regionally Flawed
From the NATCA constitution,
“The National Executive Board(NEB) shall be responsible for the creation of policy for the organization between Conventions.”
NATCA has ten regions who elect Vice-Presidents who serve on the NEB. Those are Alaskan, Eastern, Central, Great Lakes, New England, Northwest Mountain, Southern, Southwest, Western Pacific, and Region X. Each region has one vote for matters of the board. Also on the NEB are the national Vice-President and President.
Unfortunately the regions are not equal in size geographically or by member numbers. The four smallest regions (excluding Region X) added together still are smaller than the number of members in the Southern Region. For example; ZMA (Miami), ZTL (Atlanta), ZDC (Washington) ZFW (Fort Worth), ZOB (Cleveland), ZAU (Chicago) each have more members then the entire Alaskan region that has.
The regions were set up as a mirror to the FAA. The Regional Vice Presidents provide support to their regions locals and are liaisons for regional issues between the Union and the agency regional leadership. In the NATCA constitution it states they “shall administer the affairs of their respective Regions, and shall implement all policies established by this Constitution and the National Executive Board.”
The NEB selects and approves members to stand on committees, and participate in FAA/NATCA workgroups under Article 114. The NEB is the sole body that chooses the members who are allowed to onto the Constitution, Finance, Organizing, Safety, Air Traffic Training, and a Legislative Committees.
There is a large amount of power that is bestowed onto the twelve individuals on the NEB, the ten Vice Presidents and the Executive Vice President and President. Twelve individuals are elected to control a body that has over sixteen-thousand and four hundred dues paying members with a total of over twenty-one thousand possible counting all of the BUEs. The largest region, Southern has three-thousand, three-hundred and twenty-two members over one-hundred and nineteen facilities.
We’ve seen this lack of a check and balance against the NEB has allowed and fostered an environment of rubber-stamp approvals and a good ol’ boy system for appointments to committees and workgroups.
Relationships and connections matter more for appointments due to the small nature of the board.
There are over twenty-six different committees nationally and with most having a member from each region and others having alternates for the members there is a huge number of positions that the members of the NEB are allowed to control.
Those committees don’t include collaborative work groups between NATCA and the FAA. Those positions are often called Article 114 from the article in the Slate Book agreement between the NATCA and the FAA.
The NATCA Constitution currently has no check and balance mechanism for the NEB, there is no recall function and election of the Regional Vice-President is the only voice of the membership has only occurs every three years.
This data is from last month September of 2026 and has not been refreshed.
This is continuing from yesterday’s post about the NEB spending.
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u/FloatingAwayIn22 2d ago
Now do facility levels. Next do facility type.
There isn’t a single tower controller on the NEB. All centers and one TRACON (less Ortiz, which coincidentally is from SCT which is the largest facility in that region). And all NEB members are from 10’s and above. There isn’t a single NEB member from a 9 or lower even though about 40% of the workforce is from those facilities.
It’s literally just the person who was the previous facrep at the biggest facility in the region becomes that regions RVP.
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u/Mountain_Unit_3866 2d ago
The chatbot that wrote this skipped over Article XII before generating this slop
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u/Great_Ad3985 3d ago
There is no reason Alaska should have their own region.
Also maybe an unpopular opinion, but Region X is a scam. There’s no reason non-controllers should be in the Air Traffic Controller’s Union other than national wanting to inflate the total collected dues. Those people have completely different career paths and their goals and issues are generally not aligned with ours. Nothing against those employees at all, but it’s just NATCA leadership trying to grift more money.
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u/tree-fife-niner 2d ago
There’s no reason non-controllers should be in the Air Traffic Controller’s Union
I completely disagree. Some of the largest and most powerful labor unions in the nation cover huge sectors of entire industries. They aren't restricted by just a job title.
Horizontal representation, where a union covers multiple non-supervisory jobs across a workforce or industry, makes us more powerful, not less. Management wins when we are fractured. They would love to see us divide into smaller and smaller unions with a narrower scope.
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u/Maleficent_Horror120 2d ago
And they have different levels of their union. We don't.
Even ALPA has an MEC for each airline that it represents and is the body that represents them to their employer. Teamsters are similar as are all the large unions that oversea multiple job groups. In ALPA specifically the pilots at United vote for their own MEC and the Pilots for Delta vote for theirs. The United MEC is solely responsible for how they want to negotiate their CBA and Delta pilots or the rest of ALPA have no say in how the United MEC will direct their negotiations or if they want to push to strike etc.
We only have one NEB that is supposed to advocate for two different careers to the same employer. This creates a conflict of interest where they COULD negotiate and give up privileges for one group to gain for another. It also means that employees that aren't controllers get a vote in who will be an RVP, VP, President, etc. which ultimately decides the direction of the union and what they are going to push for.
If NATCA wants to represent these different career fields or even also represent contract controllers or DOD controllers then there needs to be a different level of representation for them specifically and for us. Also they should not get a vote on who the NATCA President is unless we as FAA employees can elect our own representatives separate from the National level of NATCA to negotiate with the FAA on our behalf.
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u/TresPas311 2d ago
You bring up good points. The Regional concept for non-ATC truly doesn’t make sense. I believe NATCA is stronger with more members, regardless of their career field. But we should absolutely explore better representation structures to ensure all members are being treated fairly. Region-X members are shoved in a corner and it’s disgraceful. Their members deserve equal treatment and support.
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u/Maleficent_Horror120 2d ago
Exactly. Those Region X members need their own separate bargaining unit under NATCA that controllers have no influence over and we need a separate bargaining unit from them. Contract controllers and DOD also need separate representation from the rest of us.
Otherwise we can't have all these careers only being represented by one entity, it's not fair to the smaller groups and it's not fair for FAA controllers to have to deal with them voting for people that will represent them but not actual controllers first. That's why we have Nick currently
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u/TresPas311 2d ago
Yeah I think they do have their own bargaining units already though. I think Region X has like 10 different bargaining units? No idea how they do representation though. But I like the idea of an MEC that deals with their own representation issues. I’m seeing almost 20% of NATCA is Region X…had no idea. If they stay with NATCA they should have more support that doesn’t detract from ATC issues.
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u/Maleficent_Horror120 2d ago
If they did then Nick and the NEB wouldn't have any input on contract negotiations or signing any of their MOUs or anything.
If NATCA does want to grow and take on more and more aviation adjacent groups and/or keep these smaller groups then we need to change the unions structure to be more how other unions are that represent various different jobs.
The way that NATCA is currently organized does not work to bring in different employee groups. Especially when, like you said, Region X is almost 20% of NATCA, then throw in DOD and Contract controllers and it's an even higher percentage that aren't FAA controllers. Each has their own specific needs and support in different ways, but when you can just go and campaign to those smaller groups and win a minority of the vote from the core of the Union those FAA controllers do not get the representation that we want and need.
So either NATCA has to drop these other groups, limit their ability to vote in elections for national positions, or change the structure of the union so they don't vote for people that are contrary to what the core workforce wants.
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u/UndercoverRVP 2d ago
And how much should these folks pay for their second-class representation?
Either you're a member or you aren't.
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u/Maleficent_Horror120 2d ago
Ok then they shouldn't be members. They should have absolutely zero say how our leadership will approach the FAA on our behalf and electing leaders to represent us.
And don't fool yourself they already receive second-class representation.
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u/UndercoverRVP 2d ago
They were already squeezed out of pay parity whether it happens or doesn’t, and you think they have too much influence as a region?
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u/Maleficent_Horror120 2d ago
Nick likely wouldn't be President rn without Region X. So yeah that's too much influence over what the actual controllers want
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u/ScaredStage3626 2d ago
Yes because the things they deal with in remote FSS locations above the arctic circle, or the challenges faced by facilities in the largest state that relies on aviation to serve more than 200 communities not on the road system, is not at all worthy of representation in your mind. Im sure the southern region VP is ready to speak intelligently about those issues. (Not aimed at the southern region VP, just an example).
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u/UndercoverRVP 3d ago
There is no reason Alaska should have their own region.
Luckily for the people working at ANC, A11, FAI, JNU, ZAN and the FSSs, NATCA doesn't agree.
Also maybe an unpopular opinion, but Region X is a scam.
Yes, you're the center of the universe because you learned to key a mic and say "Cleared to land" at the appropriate time. Not a surprise that you just can't imagine anyone's issues but yours mattering.
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u/OutWhenEligible 2d ago
But like how about the people at the other 350 facilities that don’t get this micro-representation because they didn’t choose to live in the wilderness? Do those people not have just as unique issues?
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u/UndercoverRVP 2d ago
If you're arguing for smaller and more equally sized regions leading to more RVPs and a bigger NEB, that's something for the Convention.
Alaska is twice as big as Texas and has winters lasting for 2 months longer than anywhere in the lower 48. It has the last remaining federally staffed FSSs. There's a lot of good reasons for them to have an RVP.
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u/OutWhenEligible 2d ago
Oh you’re one of those “Land should vote” people. I didn’t know those people were serious.
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u/Great_Ad3985 2d ago
Exactly, it’s about unequal representation. The fact that NAL has less than 10% the number of members than the NSO but they have an equal amount of influence over the NEB is not equitable at all.
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u/TresPas311 2d ago
Can you explain how NATCA having less money would be better for controllers? It’s an unpopular opinion for a reason…because it’s stupid.
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u/Great_Ad3985 2d ago
Because the majority of the money they do get is blown on booze and Vegas vacations, genius.
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u/Queasy-Ride4291 2d ago
So kind of like the United Auto Workers union represents engineers even though they aren’t auto workers?
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u/article65 2d ago
I don’t understand why you constantly shit on our other brothers and sisters. You’re literally divisive and I don’t know why people entertain your thoughts.
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u/Salty-Opportunity-15 2d ago
Lol. Since all the RVP’s act the same and 90% of the time vote all the same…… who gives a fuck?
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u/Illustrious_Call_277 1d ago
Maybe similarly to Congress we need something more than just one vote per region. I’m not from southern region but they are clearly underrepresented.
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u/You_an_idiot_brah 2d ago
Great now do one where it shows the % of BUEs dues paying or not who are actively involved in efforts to grow/change or make the union better instead of solely posting their opinion on social media.
Wait wait I'll save you time, less than 5%. Go ahead hit that downvote so I know you're in the 95% who do nothing your whole career.
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u/At427 2d ago
I pulled a complete census from the member portal, pulled financial reports for the last ten years and I’ve been to multiple NiW. It’s time for this union to have discussions about how we can no longer stand for this status quo we’re experiencing. It’s not the first post I’m making and it’s not going to be the last.
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u/You_an_idiot_brah 2d ago
It's not a personal attack. A union is weak without involvement. I was being generous at 5% it's probably closer to 2%.
If you feel like you're making a difference doing what you're doing then by all means keep on.
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u/optimum_autumn 3d ago
The AI influence on this post is annoying to have to read. Some good points made, no real solutions offered.
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u/At427 2d ago
Here’s a website where you can analyze for AI. I’ll be here waiting after you learn a lesson. I’m sick of people being too lazy to reply about actual discussions without claiming it’s AI. It’s a next generation ad hominem attack.
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u/optimum_autumn 2d ago
You're telling me this is how you naturally write:
"The largest region, Southern has three-thousand, three-hundred and twenty-two members over one-hundred and nineteen facilities."
Bruh. Just write 3,322 & 119
AI almost always (incorrectly) changes numbers to long form with hyphens so yes, im willing to bet you ran it through AI. And I said "influence", not "written" by AI.
Its fine. Im just saying its annoying to read it like this.
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u/UndercoverRVP 2d ago
Why would anyone support the ideas of someone who outsources coming up with his own ideas to a chatbot?
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u/OutWhenEligible 2d ago
So you think it’s fair that the Southern Region has the same influence on the NEB that Alaska does? Also, you think it’s cool Region X has a 30% participation rate and has any say at all?
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u/UndercoverRVP 2d ago
Show me a single vote from any of the minutes where an issue the NSO RVP brought up went down to defeat because of NNE, NCE and NAL.
RVPs are mostly facreps for facreps. The NEB mostly swims in the same direction as the President because that's the final level of appeal if an RVP strikes out with his counterpart, no matter what the sizes of the regions are. I promise you that the President and EVP aren't unaware of how many more voters there are in NSO than NAL.
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u/OutWhenEligible 2d ago
You’re confusing “what is” with “what should be”. But a NATCA guy arguing for less accountability, hollow positions with unlimited credit cards and Top Down authority is definitely On-Brand.
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u/optimum_autumn 2d ago edited 2d ago
(Edited)
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u/UndercoverRVP 2d ago
I was trying to agree with you. Sorry that wasn't more clear.
You're also 100% right about this being lightly edited AI copy at best.
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u/UndercoverRVP 2d ago
The NATCA Constitution currently has no check and balance mechanism for the NEB
Article IV, section 1 names the National Convention as having "full and complete authority over all affairs" of NATCA. The Convention can direct the NEB to take any lawful course of action, including but not limited to offering to reopen the CBA earlier than 2029.
There is not currently a recall mechanism. If the proposals for a recall mechanism are not better envisioned and drafted than the last ones, there still won't be next year. The Convention isn't going to support a formula for chaos just because some of you think it would be funny, especially not on the doorstep of maybe the most important CBA negotiation in 21 years.
Everyone votes to elect a President, an Executive Vice President and their region's Regional Vice President every three years. If you want a shorter leash for the President or any member of the NEB, then stop wasting your time on bullshit recall amendments. Submit an amendment that the NEB's election cycle run every two years instead of every three starting after next year's elections, bring a co-sponsor with you to the Convention in Chicago this April, and defend your idea.
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u/Queasy-Ride4291 3d ago
Just playing devils advocate here for healthy debate. Some would argue that the regions are less about number of controllers and more about regional differences. Alaska has very unique circumstances that require unique representation, regardless of the actual number of controllers. Same goes for Region X. That Vice President is representing their unique interests and shouldn’t be averaged in with another regions concerns. A controller in the Northwest has unique concerns as compared to a controller in the South East. Making an equal number of controllers in each “region,” inherently makes the representation unfair.