FAIR Act 2023, (Hatch Act warning)

[MJ]

I think a lot of the issue is we aren't trying. I'd love for us all to write heartfelt letters to our senators that briefly explain how instead of time based gs raises we are subject to performance based. Then turn it into a request for some sort of a raise UPON CERTIFICATION to make up for the 3 or 4 we missed. Sadly I don't think people are motivated to do it. That said I could come up with a template and we could grassroots it for trainees to HAND WRITE and mail, the. Follow up with an email, to their local reps and transportation committee members. I could find an organizing website or do something on here if the big boss deems it worthy (mj?) It would be outside the union so people supporting it would have to make calls and write letters OFF OF GOVT TIME AND PROPERTY. Thoughts?

yes I can help

 

[RomeoTangoRT]

This is our unions job but they don’t do their job. The sole purpose of a union is to negotiate and then enforce a CBA

Idk if FAA NATCA is different but for contract towers, we have a “no strike” clause in our red book. Who negotiates away essentially your only ace up the sleeve?

 

[GulfCharlie]

yes I can help
Let’s do it.

 

[MJ]

Idk if FAA NATCA is different but for contract towers, we have a “no strike” clause in our red book. Who negotiates away essentially your only ace up the sleeve?

 

[RomeoTangoRT]

Terrible argument and everyone who makes it knows that but it’s the only chip they have. There’s nearly 6x the passenger traffic now than there was then. At best you have a few delays, at worst you have a national security catastrophe.

This is the same crap our regional union rep threatened us with.

That being said, contract companies are for-profit. You can’t adhere to your contract, you lose it. If RVA controllers demanded better pay, better working conditions, more accountability and thought a strike were the only way to accomplish that, the company would go out of business. “Oh they can always replace you.” Okay. Please. For the love of god, please. I’ve been working perpetually understaffed six days a week since getting out of the military. I’ve been here for three years, last facility for a year and an half and maybe six months of that have we had full staffing. They can’t get us relief much less replace us.

And what was it, four years ago maybe where New York facilities suddenly went atc zero for definitely not a strike and miraculously shortly after the gov shutdown was resolved? ??

 

[Phillytroll69]

I'll work on something on my breaks this week or day off expect an update Monday ish

 

[doodii]

I smell mutiny and it makes me smile.

 

[COWTOWN]

We work 4 hours a day but we are a struggling workforce? Idk we are constantly on the lists for the hardest jobs so how bout those jobs. It’s all about public perception anyways. The public perceives our job as difficult and I don’t think they’d think anything of it if we got paid the same as a pilot

I think level 10 country club center controllers might want to sit this one out.

 

[32andBelow]

I think level 10 country club center controllers might want to sit this one out.

I sent thé paper in. Did you?

 

[COWTOWN]

I sent thé paper in. Did you?

Of course I did! I work at a country club with mandatory 6 day work weeks, and only 2-3 hours of breaks a day. Gotta up those numbers!

 

[32andBelow]

Of course I did! I work at a country club with mandatory 6 day work weeks, and only 2-3 hours of breaks a day. Gotta up those numbers!

I wish I could get more OT. I’m down to work every other OT for you

 

[Phillytroll69]

Of course I did! I work at a country club with mandatory 6 day work weeks, and only 2-3 hours of breaks a day. Gotta up those numbers!

Is it 2 or 3 two hours breaks? That's not that bad

 

[COWTOWN]

Is it 2 or 3 two hours breaks? That's not that bad

Sure 🙄

 

[Ad1234]

Sure 🙄

3 hours of breaks is too little?

 

[Bandit117]

3 hours of breaks is too little?

You know why in the contract it says you shouldn’t go over 2 hours on position? Because studies show that your ability to pay close attention falls off precipitously after 2 hours, even in light traffic. It’s a safety issue. This job can be mentally demanding and a good break helps you recover. This isn’t amazon where you fill all the boxes.

 

[Ad1234]

You know why in the contract it says you shouldn’t go over 2 hours on position? Because studies show that your ability to pay close attention falls off precipitously after 2 hours, even in light traffic. It’s a safety issue. This job can be mentally demanding and a good break helps you recover. This isn’t amazon where you fill all the boxes.

What does this have to do with 3 hours out of 8 being too little?

 

[Seeyoufly]

It won’t be a win because it will never happen but yes, if it did NATCA would take credit lol. They just sent a email celebrating backpay raises for a contact tower, and celebrated a new contract tower becoming NATCA.

I really think the focus on recruiting new contract towers is so NATCA can slowly add member and claim zero net losses balancing out the true NATCA members (FAA controllers). They never gave a shit about contract towers prior to the last two years.

Do you even know wtf a union is? What do you mean “true Natca members”? Could you imagine if AFGE or teamsters largest bargining unit claimed to be the only “true members”.

Contract tower members, region x bargining unit members, etc are not second class members….and the push to organize contract towers is nothing new, the organizing committee has been trying to get these towers for the past 15 years. Helping it now is a contract that gets the Midwest towers a raise

 

[COWTOWN]

3 hours of breaks is too little?

On a 10 hour day, absolutely.

 

[CoffeeIV]

Do you even know wtf a union is? What do you mean “true Natca members”? Could you imagine if AFGE or teamsters largest bargining unit claimed to be the only “true members”.

Contract tower members, region x bargining unit members, etc are not second class members….and the push to organize contract towers is nothing new, the organizing committee has been trying to get these towers for the past 15 years. Helping it now is a contract that gets the Midwest towers a raise

While I think what the union does for contract towers is minimal, they definitely help. According to one of the people I worked with before I got there, Midwest ATC was having controllers work past the closing time of the airport for free to finish up the logs, do traffic count, and whatever else. NATCA got that changed and got the controllers paid for that time. I feel like this should have been a violation of state/federal law regardless but I could have the details messed up since its been awhile.

Most FAA controllers that think NATCA shouldn't help contract towers are mad about their seniority time. I paid my dues at my contract tower and in the FAA. If you want to make the argument that contract tower time shouldn't count then maybe your time shouldn't count when you transfer facilities. Stop letting high seniority people transfer and jump everyone right? I mean they paid their dues too but fuck em it doesn't benefit me.

Contract towers that join the union and people somehow get their seniority bumped up after the fact is lame though.

 

[Wizard]

This ad1234 dude has to be a supervisor. Get the fuck outta here.