Is switching from controller to supervisor for better money/transfer chances worth it?

[the inquirer]

I have a coworker who went the OS route to get where he wanted to be and then requested to come back to controlling. I believe there has to be a staffing shortage to the facility you are going to but it is possible. Being an OS just wasn't for him so even in his 50's, he is the lowest in seniority. But it's better to have tuesday wednesday off than be stuck across the country. Most people who are looking at moving are still early on in their career. So if you lose a couple years of seniority, it's prolly worth it. Plus, there is a proposed amendment going up to vote at the Convention in June where one's seniority would not be wiped out if they went the OS route, but would be total controlling time. I think it's fair, and if you're thinking about this route, make sure you talk to your rep about it since they will be voting on it soon.

 

[FightingIrish2012]

Plus, there is a proposed amendment going up to vote at the Convention in June where one's seniority would not be wiped out if they went the OS route, but would be total controlling time. I think it's fair, and if you're thinking about this route, make sure you talk to your rep about it since they will be voting on it soon.

That amendment has been coming up since they made that rule up lol. There won’t be any voting on it, it will get screamed down in a voice vote before the ever get close to making a tally vote. All that stuff is arranged in the pre-convention meetings.

 

[AB19]

I did actually see several examples of people I worked with dying very shortly after retirement. I also saw quite a few giving a significant portion of their TSP and retirement to the ex's because of divorce.

I was eligible for retirement at age 48, but held on until 52 because my daughter attending a very expensive college. I literally retired 3 days before her graduation ceremony at age 52. At N90 and more specifically in my area, there were quite a lot of age 56 retirements, a few that went past 56 with extensions, but there were some like me that went before 56 as well.

I just turned 56, so tomorrow would had been my last day at work if I had chosen to go to the end, but I've been enjoying life to the max this last 4 years, and don't regret for one second having punched out early. That extra 4% on my pension was definitely not worth 4 years of my life!

All the more reason I’m retiring asap

 

[Mr.Tickles]

That amendment has been coming up since they made that rule up lol. There won’t be any voting on it, it will get screamed down in a voice vote before the ever get close to making a tally vote. All that stuff is arranged in the pre-convention meetings.

NATCA has too make sure management stays trash and no decent controllers that aren’t trying to move ever become sups.

 

[sixty]

Well FloopThePig its been a couple months and 7 pages of replies. What say yee? #worth?

 

[Ad1234]

But Ncept is his baby. He created it to slow movement of controllers. I’d rather be under a modified old system where I get a tol from the manager based on my credentials. This program has made controllers apply to more sup and staffing positions in order to get out. It’s a shit system. Period.

Based on your credentials hahahahHha that’s hilarious

 

[anonbob]

Been doing the commute thing for a decade for family reasons. Started at 2 hours a day, changed facilities a couple times, now at 3 hours a day +6 days a week.

My skill level is in the 8-10 range. Near my house there's a 12 and there's a 5.

So either go get capped at a 5 (really a giant pay cut, since lower locality and no OT), or do the supe thing somewhere and then transfer to the 12.

I'm not really social, so pretty sure I'll be miserable as a supervisor, but at least the physical exhaustion will be squashed.

 

[FloopThePig]

Well FloopThePig its been a couple months and 7 pages of replies. What say yee? #worth?

I'm leaning towards not going for our local supe bid. It's right there on the table, but I just feel like I'd hate it. It has the money, but it's not much extra here, and I'd have to supervise the jerks I already work with, wear dress shirts and pants, sit in an office doing paperwork, take calls after work for whatever bs that happens, and the other cons mentioned here.

I don't think I'll ever get out of this shithole town and low paying tower, but I still enjoy each day more than I feel I would as a supe. God damn though, I really sympathize with everyone that feels no hope of a transfer. Inflation is wearing me down too and making me consider it for that reason as well, but I am trying to keep a level head and convince myself it's not worth it in the long run. Maybe that Guam 3-year contract bid (go "anywhere" after 3 years) will come up again...

 

[MMKAY2039]

I'm leaning towards not going for our local supe bid. It's right there on the table, but I just feel like I'd hate it. It has the money, but it's not much extra here, and I'd have to supervise the jerks I already work with, wear dress shirts and pants, sit in an office doing paperwork, take calls after work for whatever bs that happens, and the other cons mentioned here.

I don't think I'll ever get out of this shithole town and low paying tower, but I still enjoy each day more than I feel I would as a supe. God damn though, I really sympathize with everyone that feels no hope of a transfer. Inflation is wearing me down too and making me consider it for that reason as well, but I am trying to keep a level head and convince myself it's not worth it in the long run. Maybe that Guam 3-year contract bid (go "anywhere" after 3 years) will come up again...

Are they still offering the 15% pay increase for supe bids or is that only for select locations?

 

[AS88]

I'm leaning towards not going for our local supe bid. It's right there on the table, but I just feel like I'd hate it. It has the money, but it's not much extra here, and I'd have to supervise the jerks I already work with, wear dress shirts and pants, sit in an office doing paperwork, take calls after work for whatever bs that happens, and the other cons mentioned here.

I don't think I'll ever get out of this shithole town and low paying tower, but I still enjoy each day more than I feel I would as a supe. God damn though, I really sympathize with everyone that feels no hope of a transfer. Inflation is wearing me down too and making me consider it for that reason as well, but I am trying to keep a level head and convince myself it's not worth it in the long run. Maybe that Guam 3-year contract bid (go "anywhere" after 3 years) will come up again...

All I can say is that becoming a supe is a double edged blade. It has all of the cons you mentioned, but it also opens a lot of doors for you. If your goal is to get out of that facility and NCEPT isn't going to work then nobody can blame you for doing what you need to do. Becoming a supe will make you look way better on job applications in the future at places you want to actually be.

 

[Phillytroll69]

Are they still offering the 15% pay increase for supe bids or is that only for select locations?

Most are 15% ish but varies based on location usajobs lists range

 

[Papacharlie327]

Most are 15% ish but varies based on location usajobs lists range

Crazy it is blatantly obvious that the very people we are paying to make our lives better are actually fucking us over and making our lives harder. I have a hard time listening to NATCAs bullshit approach anymore. It’s all fake

 

[Phillytroll69]

Crazy it is blatantly obvious that the very people we are paying to make our lives better are actually fucking us over and making our lives harder. I have a hard time listening to NATCAs bullshit approach anymore. It’s all fake

I mean...it's not all fake. The agency would curb stomp us under the white book if they could. That said when some sups get a 5% at their review and a 5% in Jan it makes that 1.6% and 5% kinda suck when dues are 1.5%.

Every time you don't work 2 hours and have a daily set schedule that's the union The faa could be scheduling positions all day busy or slow and giving you 45 min every two hours. Sups basically get a lunch break

If you make 100k a year a 15% is 1000 a month I can see the allure, I'm tempted to throw in for strictly financial reasons. I'm sure it sucks staring at a computer all day and dealing with asshats (my current coworkers) but what's the cost of my sanity? 1000 a month is getting close lmao.

 

[Papacharlie327]

I mean...it's not all fake. The agency would curb stomp us under the white book if they could. That said when some sups get a 5% at their review and a 5% in Jan it makes that 1.6% and 5% kinda suck when dues are 1.5%.

Every time you don't work 2 hours and have a daily set schedule that's the union The faa could be scheduling positions all day busy or slow and giving you 45 min every two hours. Sups basically get a lunch break

If you make 100k a year a 15% is 1000 a month I can see the allure, I'm tempted to throw in for strictly financial reasons. I'm sure it sucks staring at a computer all day and dealing with asshats (my current coworkers) but what's the cost of my sanity? 1000 a month is getting close lmao.

Those points are true. But that aspect of our contract was already in place. What exactly has rich Santa done for us other than stonewall career progression for us. Making controllers apply to sup bids just for movement. No contract updates. I meant this current NEB. I’d like to get the opportunity to vote someone else in.

 

[sixty]

I mean...it's not all fake. The agency would curb stomp us under the white book if they could. That said when some sups get a 5% at their review and a 5% in Jan it makes that 1.6% and 5% kinda suck when dues are 1.5%.

Every time you don't work 2 hours and have a daily set schedule that's the union The faa could be scheduling positions all day busy or slow and giving you 45 min every two hours. Sups basically get a lunch break

If you make 100k a year a 15% is 1000 a month I can see the allure, I'm tempted to throw in for strictly financial reasons. I'm sure it sucks staring at a computer all day and dealing with asshats (my current coworkers) but what's the cost of my sanity? 1000 a month is getting close lmao.

It's not 5% and 5%. We get just the one raise in Jan. It is loosely based off whatever % the national raise is as a base. Then you get more % based on your performance. So if it is 5.2% in Jan (lol) then the bare minimum sup raise would likely be around that, and 7% or so if you did well, and 12% if you did really well. All random numbers but that's how it works.

 

[Phillytroll69]

Those points are true. But that aspect of our contract was already in place. What exactly has rich Santa done for us other than stonewall career progression for us. Making controllers apply to sup bids just for movement. No contract updates. I meant this current NEB. I’d like to get the opportunity to vote someone else in.

He's tirelessly re assured congress that we are happy

It's not 5% and 5%. We get just the one raise in Jan. It is loosely based off whatever % the national raise is as a base. Then you get more % based on your performance. So if it is 5.2% in Jan (lol) then the bare minimum sup raise would likely be around that, and 7% or so if you did well, and 12% if you did really well. All random numbers but that's how it works.

That's my point bue I pay 1.5% to guarantee an addition 1.6%.

All federal employees get Jan raises. Sups and bues.

I was ignorant of the fact sups got an additional raise based on performance

 

[Papacharlie327]

He's tirelessly re assured congress that we are happy

That's my point bue I pay 1.5% to guarantee an addition 1.6%.

All federal employees get Jan raises. Sups and bues.

I was ignorant of the fact sups got an additional raise based on performance

Lol. I love it.

Rich to the BUEs “How can you have any puddin if you don’t eat your meat!!”

 

[Tendy Dominator]

Can't blame anyone for going to sup path. More money, more opportunities to move if you aren't already where you want to be. IF you haven't noticed, management is owning NATCA. They aren't really held accountable for anything that I've seen and if they get in a bind they change the rules or just don't do anything because they know NATCA higher ups don't want to risk their current golden situation with some possible conflict.
Another reason is that if you got into the game late or for whatever reason you want to get a staff job and work past 56, they will take a manager who doesn't know what 2+2 is before they will take the best controller the facility has.

 

[jdatc]

…. they will take a manager who doesn't know what 2+2 is before they will take the best controller the facility has.

Gotta get this out of your head. Doesn’t matter if you are best controller in the building to anyone up the food chain in upper management. You are a number, that’s it.

The only person that it may matter to about you being a good controller is the immediate supervisor on that shift, if they think
putting you at the more complex position will keep traffic flowing and them out of trouble. Otherwise it isn’t worth dick.

Hopefully at the end of screwing you over and throwing the weaker person on data or whatever, they at least remember enough to give you a decent ‘shove’ Otherwise they are just like the rest.

We are all just numbers.

 

[Papacharlie327]

Can't blame anyone for going to sup path. More money, more opportunities to move if you aren't already where you want to be. IF you haven't noticed, management is owning NATCA. They aren't really held accountable for anything that I've seen and if they get in a bind they change the rules or just don't do anything because they know NATCA higher ups don't want to risk their current golden situation with some possible conflict.
Another reason is that if you got into the game late or for whatever reason you want to get a staff job and work past 56, they will take a manager who doesn't know what 2+2 is before they will take the best controller the facility has.

I have absolutely noticed that management is owning NATCA. And it’s incredibly frustrating.