"Not that it this in any way germaine but I think an interesting dynamic took place that every single one of you has skipped over in your rush to make “your point”
Since 2010 Paul Rinaldi and Trish Gilbert have sought the advice and counsel of their predecessors. Steve Bell, Ray Spickler, Barry Krasner, Mike McNally, Randy Schmitz, John Carr, Ruth Marlin and Pat Forrey. They have convened us at convention, during round table discussions, and yes, during private, sometimes heated debate concerning the future of our union. They listen, take notes, participate, and cell phones and laptops are not welcome. We get together because we love this union, and we love the membership. Do we always agree? No. Are we always given an unfiltered forum in which to address the elected leadership of the organization? YES.
Did Paul and Trish have to do this? NO. Did anyone before them think it was important enough to do? NO. Are we the only people they counseled with, including the NEB which has so overwhelmingly supported them? NO.
When ballots are counted the membership will have spoken, and in true NATCA form we will congeal like Jello behind the leadership and the vast resources they have available to help them guide our ship through rocky seas.
Please try to remember that personal attacks say more about the aggressor than the victim. Pointing out what someone else does wrong in no way helps me decide what you will do right. Negative campaigning works with negative people...which most controllers aren’t. Please one voter and you’ve got one vote; piss off one voter and you’ve poisoned a whole facility.
Have a vision. Have a plan for implementing it. Have actions you will take with our national office. Have actions you will take on Capitol Hill. Plan who you will do your media training with. Plan who you will do your mock testimony with. Plan a strategy that will bring the union to the vision you have spent the last three months articulating to them.....you HAVE spent the last three months articulating you’re vision, haven’t you?
Finally, you ain’t God. As G.W.Bush told Bill Clinton as they headed for Clinton’s inauguration,” Now you get to see just exactly how little power you have.” Build relationships within NATCA and with industry, the AFL-CIO, the construction trades, AFA, ALPA and too many to mention. Know what you’re going to say before you sit down.
And don’t fuck up. 15,000 families are counting on you to get it right EVERY SINGLE TIME." - John Carr