CFS Cancelled

CaptainObvious

Legendary Member
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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last week, NATCA announced that we had postponed our 18th Biennial Convention in Houston. After additional internal discussion, we have also decided to cancel the 2021 Communicating For Safety (CFS) Conference. We decided that we cannot hold what is the leading global aviation safety conference, as the pandemic continues to affect our families and our workplaces. CFS 2021 was scheduled to occur in Las Vegas on Sept. 27-29 and bring together NATCA members, representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and leaders of the aviation community.

There currently are more aggressive and transmissible strains of COVID-19 circulating in the United States. In the last two weeks, the state of Nevada has seen its COVID-19 cases increase by 80 percent. After months of a downward progression of COVID-19 cases, hospital officials from the Las Vegas metropolitan area report a 102 percent increase in hospitalizations. Experts say Las Vegas poses greater risks for travelers over other cities, because activities there are largely indoors and can be crowded. Visitors stay indoors for prolonged periods, mingling with others from all over the country.

Public health authorities recently announced additional COVID-19 precautions. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak imposed a new mandate on Tuesday that requires everyone, vaccinated or not, to wear masks indoors in public places in counties with high rates of COVID-19 transmission, including Clark County where Las Vegas is located. In addition, a federal CDC taskforce has been organized to specifically address rising COVID infections in Las Vegas, so it’s possible that additional restrictions could be put in place, including limits on large events like CFS.

Clearly, our first priorities are the safety of our members and their families, as well as the continued safe operation of the National Airspace System. Thank you for your cooperation as we work to protect our Union and its members during these unprecedented times. Below, we will attempt to answer some anticipated questions. If you have other questions, the CFS planning committee will try to answer them. You may reach them at this email address: [email protected].

In solidarity,

NATCA National Executive Board
 
Alert to union members. This is the time to put pressure on your facreps and eBoard members to improve facility conditions. A majority of your locals budget goes towards sending members to CFS, convention, and training every year. Your local should have a nice cushion of funds right now since these all have been on hold. If you ask your treasurer or facrep if the union can finally replace those disgusting futons and recliners in the break room or maybe improve the NATCA wifi and you get a response that they don’t have the funds, then call BS. Ask your treasurer and eBoard to be more transparent with your locals finances. At my first facility I asked the treasurer if I could view our budget and finances and he said no. Eventually I was able to get them and found that our president and treasurer both were stealing money from the local and they are now both in jail. Well, probably out by now. But either way it’s what it took to get that facility to meet the demands of a core group of members wants for improvements at the facility. You should have a voice in how your dues are spent locally. Now is the time to speak up!

Side note, say your union collects 200,000 in dues. That entire amount goes to national and national turns around and gives your local (I think) 25% of it back. So your union would get 4 payments of $12,500 a year for a total of $50,000. The other 75% goes towards nationals budget and gets dispersed to smaller facilities with less members so they have funds to send some of their members to CFS, Conventions, and area rep training.
 
Also I would NOT suggest doing this as a trainee. I did so while in training and the rep told my trainer to wash me out. Luckily I was right about funds AND a I think it helps bring a minority.
Never question your union while in training. The nice thing about the union is they will have your back during training because they want you to make CPC. Your AG and D1 union contribution doesn’t provide anything towards dues. That’s why they want to see you check out so badly.
 
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