2018 Convention

[ajmezz]

I think they should give guaranteed releases after x (3,4,5?) amount of years (if where you want to go is able to pick people up) for 7 and below. All new hires go to 7 and below no matter their experience, minus those going enroute, obviously. That way the rotating door keeps spinning and everyone that wants to move up is able to since all the low level facilities would continually receive new trainees. The biggest logistics hurdle would be spacing out the releases for everyone at the facility that has already been there for the allotted time frame. I’m sure nothing like that will ever happen, but definitely think it could improve some things across the board.

 

[Dontbotherme]

Well our local will be voting FOR A18-09 if it makes it to the floor at the convention. Not my view, but that’s what won at our pre convention meeting tonight. Too many military hires don’t understand that their SCD means nothing towards seniority with the federal government. Seniority is a union creation to achieve a fair and equitable manner of bidding leave, days off, etc in a 24/7 occupation. If we didn’t have a collective agreement that allowed NATCA to determine seniority, your days off, shift times, and potentially approved leave would be down to your sup either liking you or not and you’d have little to no recourse as management has a right to assign work. The agency doesn’t care about your well being like NATCA does and if you don’t believe that, you haven’t been in long enough. Hell, they’d be happy for you to have to work 30 years to get 30% in retirement. Thanks to NATCA, that same time will equal 44% assuming no Vision 100 or some other retirement caveat.

 

[MJ]

Well our local will be voting FOR A18-09 if it makes it to the floor at the convention. Not my view, but that’s what won at our pre convention meeting tonight. Too many military hires don’t understand that their SCD means nothing towards seniority with the federal government. Seniority is a union creation to achieve a fair and equitable manner of bidding leave, days off, etc in a 24/7 occupation. If we didn’t have a collective agreement that allowed NATCA to determine seniority, your days off, shift times, and potentially approved leave would be down to your sup either liking you or not and you’d have little to no recourse as management has a right to assign work. The agency doesn’t care about your well being like NATCA does and if you don’t believe that, you haven’t been in long enough. Hell, they’d be happy for you to have to work 30 years to get 30% in retirement. Thanks to NATCA, that same time will equal 44% assuming no Vision 100 or some other retirement caveat.

What is composite seniority date? I've never heard that term, is it something they made up? (Edit: never mind, I missed where they defined it.)

Also, I'm really surprised a facility that size is in favor of anything like that amendment...

 

[Dontbotherme]

What is composite seniority date? I've never heard that term, is it something they made up?
Also, I'm really surprised a facility that size is in favor of anything like that amendment...

They stated in the amendment that it would be considered SCD so I’m assuming they made it up.

Well when you’re force fed VRAs, you host your meeting on a Tuesday (when most of them are off M/T, T/W, or W/T, they know nothing about how a union functions, and they think that their military time should count for bargaining unit time, you get a majority at the meeting that wants it so that’s what our Fac Rep will have to represent in Philly.

 

[MJ]

They stated in the amendment that it would be considered SCD so I’m assuming they made it up.

Well when you’re force fed VRAs, you host your meeting on a Tuesday (when most of them are off M/T, T/W, or W/T, they know nothing about how a union functions, and they think that their military time should count for bargaining unit time, you get a majority at the meeting that wants it so that’s what our Fac Rep will have to represent in Philly.

Can't really generalize like that. A lot of the people I've heard argue for it aren't ex-military. I would just about triple my seniority time if military time counted, and I wouldn't vote for it.

Also, reading it again, they put time-at-fac for releases, so it appears its trying to change seniority and ncept policy in one amendment. So, maybe trying to buy votes for changing the ERR policy w/o upper natca support.

 

[rugbydog11]

We hand out ballots for every proposed amendment and resolution, and each person votes and turns it in. Then that's how we vote at convention... Much more legit than holding a union meeting on a Tuesday night.

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

I know that CFS is broadcast online, is the convention?

 

[Move78]

We hand out ballots for every proposed amendment and resolution, and each person votes and turns it in. Then that's how we vote at convention... Much more legit than holding a union meeting on a Tuesday night.

As far as the local vote goes this is a no brainer.

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

We had a general membership meeting at work, on a Friday, for an hour to discuss the proposed amendments. Most people hadn't even read them.

Personally, I don't see any of the seniority ones passing as they are.

I am curious what your guys opinions on the frequncy and location of the convention should be? I was somewhat surprised to hear that each convention costs around $3M. It's obviously cheaper in Vegas because of pre-existing contracts but even then I helped plan a conference in Vegas and it was $90 a gallon for coffee.

 

[Dontbotherme]

We had a general membership meeting at work, on a Friday, for an hour to discuss the proposed amendments. Most people hadn't even read them.

Personally, I don't see any of the seniority ones passing as they are.

I am curious what your guys opinions on the frequncy and location of the convention should be? I was somewhat surprised to hear that each convention costs around $3M. It's obviously cheaper in Vegas because of pre-existing contracts but even then I helped plan a conference in Vegas and it was $90 a gallon for coffee.

I want to have a convention every three years, at the cheapest location, and use the savings on local/regional training. Collective knowledge is power.

 

[GulfCharlie]

They stated in the amendment that it would be considered SCD so I’m assuming they made it up.

Well when you’re force fed VRAs, you host your meeting on a Tuesday (when most of them are off M/T, T/W, or W/T, they know nothing about how a union functions, and they think that their military time should count for bargaining unit time, you get a majority at the meeting that wants it so that’s what our Fac Rep will have to represent in Philly.

I don't see it passing, it should not be either way.

 

[rugbydog11]

I circled yes on every single convention one, as I veiwed all of them to be better than the current situation monetarily.

 

[MJ]

I want to have a convention every three years, at the cheapest location, and use the savings on local/regional training. Collective knowledge is power.

I was thinking about that last night. The whole delegate thing and the convention as a whole. There’s no reason everyone couldn’t vote on everything online.

 

[rugbydog11]

I was thinking about that last night. The whole delegate thing and the convention as a whole. There’s no reason everyone couldn’t vote on everything online.

The amount of activity from members in the union is miniscule if it happens during peoples off time. Look at the results from elections for regional reps. The percentages were so low its sad. I honestly think every union member should be on this site and it could have subsections for each region and have open conversations about things like this. The natca site gets much less traffic than here I would guess.

 

[MJ]

The amount of activity from members in the union is miniscule if it happens during peoples off time. Look at the results from elections for regional reps. The percentages were so low its sad. I honestly think every union member should be on this site and it could have subsections for each region and have open conversations about things like this. The natca site gets much less traffic than here I would guess.

I’d love to have stuff like that... it’s closer to what I had in mind for the purpose of the site to begin with. Ive reached out a couple times to work towards that idea, but...

Lethargy will always be a problem, but I don’t think that’s a valid reason to have everyone else’s voice not heard. At least then it’s their choice not to vote, versus someone else deciding for them. I’m in 100% agreement with robertb, the union and it’s resources should be devoted to improving ATC, not a social club.