Bandit117 said:
I’m not. Without a second academy there no way they can reach the hiring goals they need. OKC has been max hiring and max classes since late 2014. they blame “covid” but it already wasn’t going to be enough. It hasn’t ever been enough in over a decade of doing it. Without more capacity at OKC or a 2nd academy nothing is going to get better bc they don’t have enough seats. Just a fact. They need to be hiring 4K a year, not 1800. Maybe 1/3 make it through to cpc, no?
Bonuses are the only way they have to encourage people to stay. When not enough take it, and hiring is below the goals needed, they will start making 56 the rule. Laws can and will be changed bc in about 3-4 years almost 1/3 of the workforce becomes retirement eligible and statistically 80% retire within 12 months of reaching eligibility. No organization in the world can have that much turnover and be healthy. And no way they stand by idley as 25% of the workforce bounces with no replacement
Oklahoma's Congressional delegation will work tirelessly to ensure there is never another Academy located anywhere that people might actually want to live. They've blocked any real attempt at building a Second ATC Academy somewhere like Phoenix, Vegas, Orlando....where retired controllers that would be the instructors would want to be.
It's not surprising to me that people are bailing for Australia or at least exploring the possibility. This job has been getting worse and worse, and we now have an administration being openly hostile towards Federal employees and our benefits. I dont think too many controllers are interested in continuing to work 48+ hours a week, understaffed and underpaid, with no raise and now an attack on our retirement benefits so that Elon and Jeff Bezos can continue to not pay taxes.
NATCA needs to wake up at some point. The workforce needs a raise, full stop. Nick Daniels thinking a 5% bump to OJTI Premium would suffice as his big financial win for the workforce is so crazy that theres no way he actually believes it. The dudes a charlatan and in way over his head. And its full radio silence on any kind of raise for the workforce.....probably because Duffy can see we just extended the damn contract 6 months ago.13 years of a contract signed pre COVID with nothing guaranteed beyond a 1.6% raise, in the highest inflationary environment seen in recent memory. Theres no help coming, and NATCA is absolutely complicit in this career field going to complete shit for anyone whos left actually doing the job. The Reps that have been staying at home and never using any leave or doing any real work all seem to think things are great though. Weird how that works.