Protect Retirement Benefits for Air Traffic Controllers

[KiloZulu]

Horrible take. I understand you may be jealous of more senior controllers who only pay 1.3%, but that is very shortsighted of you. For what it's worth I agree with you in principle that everyone should pay the same percentage, but that is not the reality we live in.

If you support changes that erode benefits for older employees, you are essentially endorsing the precedent that benefits can be taken away retroactively. That same logic can — and almost certainly will — be applied to YOU later. When workers are divided, it's easier for the government or management to chip away at benefits incrementally, under the radar.


If the 1.3% group loses their rate, what’s stopping them from raising everyone to 9% later? Or taking away locality? Or any number of things?

Let's be real, it's not jealousy. All my coworkers who voted for Trump are in the sub 4% crowd, so I'm happy for them to get what they wanted.

 

[Raise when?]

Let's be real, it's not jealousy. All my coworkers who voted for Trump are in the sub 4% crowd, so I'm happy for them to get what they wanted.

Shrug. I didn't vote for trump and i'm one of the fortunate ones in the low paying FERS group. Maybe there is a correlation, I don't know. I truly feel an assault on one of us, is an assault on us all. This is another area where NATCA is failing us. There is zero solidarity, so much in fighting among the membership and "fuck you ill get mine" mentality. You see it in all the threads online. I have seen several LVL 12 controllers talking down low paying facilities saying they don't deserve more, which I think is very wrong - as a 12 controller myself. You constantly see people trashing other facilities, or people in other circumstances as enemies when controllers need to be united now more than ever as our benefits and wages are assailed by the GOP and inflation.

 

[Somenewguy]

It almost sounds like your argument is that raising older employees up to your rate is a sacrifice that'll help you.

The battle as I understand it was to protect everything we currently have. It sounds like we'll come out successful on 2 out of 3 fronts (high 3, retaining current contribution rates), and unsuccessful on the supplement.

To be fair, a lot of us (who want to/will retire before 56) would be better off upping to 5% contributions VS losing the supplement.

I'm not arguing, I'm just bitching.

Taking away benefits doesn't help anyone. But when NATCA has quietly enjoyed keeping their own benefits while watching newer members without, it creates a schism. When you're complicit in the system of inequality, and aren't pushing for a system of greater equality it breeds resentment. Long term, this is the type of bullshit that tears a union apart.

NATCA has had members with 4%+ FERS contributions for a decade, but hasn't felt a need to address it until it started impacting those in leadership positions. Where was the fight before right now?

Whether it's true or not - natca 100% of the time being behind the ball communicating things to the membership before they are mandated by the government makes it seem like they aren't in a position with any decision making power.

Losing any of these benefits is a huge loss. But I think it is important to note that nearly half of the membership has already taken an L and is getting no representation to fight back for something better.

It almost sounds like your argument is that raising older employees up to your rate is a sacrifice that'll help you.

The battle as I understand it was to protect everything we currently have. It sounds like we'll come out successful on 2 out of 3 fronts (high 3, retaining current contribution rates), and unsuccessful on the supplement.

To be fair, a lot of us (who want to/will retire before 56) would be better off upping to 5% contributions VS losing the supplement.

Im not really arguing, im just pissing into the wind.

Cutting benefits doesnt help anyone. The point I'm trying to illustrate is that the FERS contribution issue has been around for a decade. And now NATCA suddenly cares.

Most of the profession could use a pay raise. If you're making 190k before differentials at 40 hours a week (with multiple hours a day on break), then I feel like you aren't the first person I'm worried about. But it is usually the demographic that natca is worried about.

I think the incentive pay for new hires and hard to staff facilities is a good thing, but big picture NATCA is just taking whatever scraps the agency is willing to hand out. Not negotiating with any power or organization.

 

[Nothanks]

Shrug. I didn't vote for trump and i'm one of the fortunate ones in the low paying FERS group. Maybe there is a correlation, I don't know. I truly feel an assault on one of us, is an assault on us all. This is another area where NATCA is failing us. There is zero solidarity, so much in fighting among the membership and "fuck you ill get mine" mentality. You see it in all the threads online. I have seen several LVL 12 controllers talking down low paying facilities saying they don't deserve more, which I think is very wrong - as a 12 controller myself. You constantly see people trashing other facilities, or people in other circumstances as enemies when controllers need to be united now more than ever as our benefits and wages are assailed by the GOP and inflation.

You say this as a non member 🤔

 

[Raise when?]

You say this as a non member 🤔

yep. Non members have more solidarity than NATCA members at this point. It's sad and funny. This is the problem with NATCA in its current state, people like you that enable horrible leadership from Nick and Mick. All the bootlickers and blind followers that praise anything that comes from NATCA and try to silence the voices that dare speak against the leaders.

 

[32andBelow]

yep. Non members have more solidarity than NATCA members at this point. It's sad and funny. This is the problem with NATCA in its current state, people like you that enable horrible leadership from Nick and Mick. All the bootlickers and blind followers that praise anything that comes from NATCA and try to silence the voices that dare speak against the leaders.

The members that want change, the nonmembers, and front line sups all have more in common than NATCA leadership

 

[Nothanks]

yep. Non members have more solidarity than NATCA members at this point. It's sad and funny. This is the problem with NATCA in its current state, people like you that enable horrible leadership from Nick and Mick. All the bootlickers and blind followers that praise anything that comes from NATCA and try to silence the voices that dare speak against the leaders.

I’m not blindly praising anyone. That’s for sure. I’m just calling out your nonsense contradictory statements

 

[Gauff]

You say this as a non member 🤔

You sure love to mention people who are non members. Meanwhile we all know you'd be the first to cross a picket line and scabs are far worse than someone whose just a non member in a union that continues to be incompetent

 

[Nothanks]

You sure love to mention people who are non members. Meanwhile we all know you'd be the first to cross a picket line and scabs are far worse than someone whose just a non member in a union that continues to be incompetent

You have no clue what I’d do. I know you won’t stand in unity with anyone you quitter. I’m one of the few people that stood up during COVID so don’t tell me what I would and wouldn’t do.

 

[Raise when?]

You have no clue what I’d do. I know you won’t stand in unity with anyone you quitter. I’m one of the few people that stood up during COVID so don’t tell me what I would and wouldn’t do.

No you didn’t. You sold out during covid

 

[Nothanks]

No you didn’t. You sold out during covid

lol ok. Whatever you say. I bet you did. I certainly did not.

 

[Shikaka]

 

[Kappa468]

I still don’t understand did we lose the FERS supplement until we are 57 or are we exempt from that? Also, is there any clarity on if we retire before 57 (everyone unless there’s a job change) does the supplement kick in at 57 or do we not get it at all?

 

[Raise when?]

I still don’t understand did we lose the FERS supplement until we are 57 or are we exempt from that? Also, is there any clarity on if we retire before 57 (everyone unless there’s a job change) does the supplement kick in at 57 or do we not get it at all?

NATCA is monitoring the situation

 

[echster]

I still don’t understand did we lose the FERS supplement until we are 57 or are we exempt from that? Also, is there any clarity on if we retire before 57 (everyone unless there’s a job change) does the supplement kick in at 57 or do we not get it at all?

Nobody knows. Congress has not even introduced a final version of the reconciliation bill in either the House or Senate, let alone passed the bill.

 

[Move78]

I still don’t understand did we lose the FERS supplement until we are 57 or are we exempt from that? Also, is there any clarity on if we retire before 57 (everyone unless there’s a job change) does the supplement kick in at 57 or do we not get it at all?

It would be gone entirely so until you’re 62 and no nothing has passed yet

 

[Nothanks]

NATCA is monitoring the situation

You sure do care a lot about what Natca’s doing as a non member.

 

[buffalochickenqueefadilla]

You have no clue what I’d do. I know you won’t stand in unity with anyone you quitter. I’m one of the few people that stood up during COVID so don’t tell me what I would and wouldn’t do.

Comment history says otherwise. You're cornflakes

 

[Nothanks]

Comment history says otherwise. You're cornflakes

lol…if you only knew

 

[Raise when?]

You sure do care a lot about what Natca’s doing as a non member.

Because I’m locked into the same shitty contract NATCA members are, dummy. I don’t have a choice to negotiate a contract for myself. So when NATCA prioritizes equipment, trainees, and retirees over the rank and file it affects me negatively too. I don’t want NATCA’s shitty foreverbook but I can’t do anything outside resigning to escape it!