New time off between shifts mandate. Big change

[GulfCharlie]

Bingo

I’d argue controllers just want the chance to make the changes ourselves. Somehow the people who are great at taking two separated aircraft and making them not are the ones who get to decide what’s best.

Well said on all points.

 

[bomber996]

"
Brothers and Sisters:

About the FAA announcement today, this announcement DOES NOT mean that there will be any changes to your existing BWS.

The FAA is communicating to all ATO managers that there will be no changes to any schedules at this time.

NATCA is reviewing our legal position and options.

We will keep you apprised of any updates related to this announcement.

In Solidarity,

NATCA President

Rich Santa"

Grab the popcorn

 

[ClearanceClarence]

The FAA is doing this to look better after bad press and want to show they're taking action. Don't get it twisted, the FAA doesn't give a shit about you or your health.

Oh yeah I don’t believe they do, I just think this further highlights the abysmal state of affairs that even this is more than NATCA has done for us.

After all the bad press from the close calls, NATCA could have been on every talk show, every cable news program, every podcast, and testifying on Capitol Hill screaming from the rooftops that we are overworked, over-tired, and underpaid. And the agency likely would have given in to something just to save face. Even without a contract negotiation. But our union “leaders” are more worried about throwing cheap shots at each other over the election and haven’t done one damn thing to help us.

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

It’s crazy how natca hasn’t even sent out an acknowledgement yet. They are so painfully slow. They are like a sloth

It's out

 

[GulfCharlie]

"
Brothers and Sisters:

About the FAA announcement today, this announcement DOES NOT mean that there will be any changes to your existing BWS.

The FAA is communicating to all ATO managers that there will be no changes to any schedules at this time.

NATCA is reviewing our legal position and options.

We will keep you apprised of any updates related to this announcement.

In Solidarity,

NATCA President

Rich Santa"

Grab the popcorn

Sounds like the Union got blindsided.

 

[HurryUpandWait]

"
Brothers and Sisters:

About the FAA announcement today, this announcement DOES NOT mean that there will be any changes to your existing BWS.

The FAA is communicating to all ATO managers that there will be no changes to any schedules at this time.

NATCA is reviewing our legal position and options.

We will keep you apprised of any updates related to this announcement.

In Solidarity,

NATCA President

Rich Santa"

Grab the popcorn

There’s more to the email:

“Although the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is encouraged that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has turned its attention to the serious issue of air traffic controller fatigue, our Union is disappointed that the FAA did not collaborate with NATCA in advance of its decision and announcement today. Earlier this morning, FAA first shared a copy of the report with NATCA moments before our Union was briefed on the report and the Administrator’s changes. FAA has not modeled these changes to determine what unintended consequences they may have to the already strained air traffic control staffing coverage.”

 

[Rx]

WE NEED TO OPEN THE SLATE BOOK. IT’S TIME!

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

"
Brothers and Sisters:

About the FAA announcement today, this announcement DOES NOT mean that there will be any changes to your existing BWS.

The FAA is communicating to all ATO managers that there will be no changes to any schedules at this time.

NATCA is reviewing our legal position and options.

We will keep you apprised of any updates related to this announcement.

In Solidarity,

NATCA President

Rich Santa"

Grab the popcorn

Don't forget the second half. Bold emphasis is my own.



NATCA distributed the following message as a press release today.


NATCA Calls on FAA to Collaborate on Air Traffic Controller Fatigue

Union Warns Agency Unilateral Decision Could Lead to Additional Mandatory Overtime Due to Understaffing and Policy’s Reduced Controller Availability
 
Although the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is encouraged that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has turned its attention to the serious issue of air traffic controller fatigue, our Union is disappointed that the FAA did not collaborate with NATCA in advance of its decision and announcement today. Earlier this morning, FAA first shared a copy of the report with NATCA moments before our Union was briefed on the report and the Administrator’s changes. FAA has not modeled these changes to determine what unintended consequences they may have to the already strained air traffic control staffing coverage.

For more than a decade, NATCA has been sounding the alarm about the FAA’s staffing shortage and the fatigue and stress that places on the hardworking controllers we represent. NATCA is concerned that with an already understaffed controller workforce, immediate application of the Administrator’s new rules may lead to coverage holes in air traffic facilities’ schedules. These holes may affect National Airspace System capacity. Requiring controllers to work mandatory overtime to fill those holes would increase fatigue and make the new policy nothing more than window dressing.

Understaffing currently requires FAA to assign mandatory overtime to controllers, including regular 6-day workweeks, which leads to fatigue. In 2022, controllers at 40% of FAA facilities worked 6-days a week at least once per month. Several facilities required 6-day workweeks every week.

The 2024 schedules were negotiated in late 2023 for each of FAA’s 313 air traffic control facilities. Immediate application of this change would disrupt the lives of controllers who rely upon their year-long schedules for work-life responsibilities. We expect that the FAA will meet its bargaining obligations before implementing any changes.

The FAA employs 10 percent fewer fully certified air traffic controllers today than it did 10 years ago and 25 percent fewer trainees than five years ago. The FAA’s current finance-based staffing plan is not working. In May 2023, Secretary Buttigieg said, “The FAA is about 3,000 air traffic controllers short of target levels.”

Last November, the FAA’s independent National Airspace System Safety Review Team concluded that under FAA’s most recent Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress, “when retirements and other attrition is accounted for, the hiring plan produces a negligible improvement over today’s understaffed levels, resulting in a net increase of fewer than 200 air traffic controllers by 2032.”

Last summer, the Department of Transportation Inspector General issued a report that concluded “FAA continues to face staffing challenges and lacks a plan to address them, which in turn poses a risk to the continuity of air traffic operations.”

Last year, FAA met its hiring goals and netted only 15 additional fully certified controllers and 15 additional trainees. FAA Finance’s staffing plan has been in place for more than 15 years. It has led to the current staffing crisis and continuing to follow it will result in more of the same. A new approach is needed.

Congress has a historic opportunity to address this staffing crisis in FAA Reauthorization by ensuring the FAA puts in place a staffing plan that meets the needs of the flying public and all of FAA’s operational, contractual, and statutory requirements, and by requiring the FAA to hire the maximum number of air traffic controller trainees possible for the next five years.

 

[Billybob]

There’s more to the email:

“Although the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is encouraged that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has turned its attention to the serious issue of air traffic controller fatigue, our Union is disappointed that the FAA did not collaborate with NATCA in advance of its decision and announcement today. Earlier this morning, FAA first shared a copy of the report with NATCA moments before our Union was briefed on the report and the Administrator’s changes. FAA has not modeled these changes to determine what unintended consequences they may have to the already strained air traffic control staffing coverage.”

So the FAA cucked the union again. Hopefully our NATCA reps can take this as a giant "fuck you" and stop bullshitting us. FAA has no interest in working collaboratively with us, for better or for worse.

 

[CoffeeIV]

I’m shocked the Agency made a good decision like this on their own.

On their own? I'm guessing the DCA incident is being blamed on fatigue and no politician wants to die there. Just like how our opposite direction rules got changed because of DCA.

 

[HurryUpandWait]

So the FAA cucked the union again. Hopefully our NATCA reps can take this as a giant "fuck you" and stop bullshitting us. FAA has no interest in working collaboratively with us, for better or for worse.

Whitaker’s statement does say,

“We are committed to engaging the workforce and our partners at the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) to prioritize health and well-being as operations adapt.”

But behind close doors it appears there was no engaging going on

 

[32andBelow]

So the FAA cucked the union again. Hopefully our NATCA reps can take this as a giant "fuck you" and stop bullshitting us. FAA has no interest in working collaboratively with us, for better or for worse.

They need to pull out of all workgroups

 

[ajmezz]

Any facility could already neg. Straight mid lines. Nothing new here

Had a guy that wanted it at a previous facility and management said no bc he’d lose proficiency or some shit. Was told that was a nationwide policy at the time. This was years ago so 🤷‍♂️

 

[But_I_Had_Visual]

Had a guy that wanted it at a previous facility and management said no bc he’d lose proficiency or some shit. Was told that was a nationwide policy at the time. This was years ago so 🤷‍♂️

Meanwhile cargo facilities have been doing straight MIDs for years 🙈

 

[32andBelow]

Meanwhile cargo facilities have been doing straight MIDs for years 🙈

Yah cus you wouldn’t lose proficiency

 

[HurryUpandWait]

They need to pull out of all workgroups

Relax. The FAA at their core doesn’t want to make decisions through the union with “collaboration”. They will always try and blindside the union. One of the benefits of having a union is being somewhat powerful enough to force them to collaborate after decisions like this. Albeit, they put NATCA in a difficult position because any fightback is going to be sold to the press by the FAA as “look we tried but natca said no”.

In a world with no union they would make a decision like this with no rebuttal and we would be forced with whatever they want, when they want, screw your bid leave, etc..

Let’s see what the union can do.. after all.. voting time is coming

 

[the inquirer]

32 hour workweek and I’ll take a reverse rattler. But finishing work at 10pm on Friday and having to come back in at 10pm on Sunday is a no go.

 

[Cocoatc]

For facilities on 6 day work weeks this means first shift back has to be a mid, and that the OT would have to be your first RDO, which means you really have 0 days of the week you're not in the facility. (Given that the last 2hrs of 2nd RDO will be the start of your mid shift). Or start the week with double mids with OT mid on the 2nd RDO. And 1st RDO loses 2hrs to the mid.

Heads gonna roll

 

[GulfCharlie]

Relax. The FAA at their core doesn’t want to make decisions through the union with “collaboration”. They will always try and blindside the union. One of the benefits of having a union is being somewhat powerful enough to force them to collaborate after decisions like this. Albeit, they put NATCA in a difficult position because any fightback is going to be sold to the press by the FAA as “look we tried but natca said no”.

In a world with no union they would make a decision like this with no rebuttal and we would be forced with whatever they want, when they want, screw your bid leave, etc..

Let’s see what the union can do.. after all.. voting time is coming

Somewhat powerful is a stretch...

 

[Kramer]

It's the same schedule, you just start with the mid first and run it in reverse. That's the quick easy way to implement the new rules without any big increases needed in OT or staffing.

There are some other ideas out there that are possible without fairytale staffing levels, but you guys are really trying to curl fingers on the monkeys paw with all this crying about work conditions.

The issue with this is your only eligible to work OT on your first rdo