Update – 10-18-2006

Good Morning Local BUR Members!

It has been a couple of weeks since I sent you an update, so here goes.

I heard a rumor the week before last and it turns out to be fact – Terri Walton did not make the training program at ZLA and has been offered ONLY Van Nuys ATCT as a CPC.

DD informed me that, in addition to the bid for her replacement, she had received authorization to put out a bid for a third FLM as well as a Support Specialist.  She is very happy about this and I told her that I was not happy if it meant that 2 more CPCs were to be taken from us to be office people.  We need Controllers working the front line!

Another rumor is that Tony DiBernardo is being “prepped” to be our next ATM.  Tony has worked in the Regional office for some time now and Ham speaks highly of him.  I think we will be in good hands.

The RDO and Prime bidding process – well, what can I say about it?  Management basically told me what narrow little items I could negotiate with them in this regard so I said “…don’t change these things from the way we did them last year…”.  The process isn’t quite the same.  As a matter of fact there are many of us that have been or will be harmed in this process.  I will be preparing grievances today at your request.

You should be hearing from your FLM very soon to hear your grievances that have been filed.  Their time limits are running short.  You are entitled to NATCA representation (me) in these meetings.  Please inform me if you receive grievance responses from your FLM.  I will need this information in order to track your grievances.

TJ has been on vacation and will return next Monday.  I hope that he and his family have had a pleasant time together.  Corrie and I will celebrate our First Anniversary on Sunday the 22^nd and then leave for Maui on Monday for a week.  I will return to work on Monday the 30^th.  During my absence, your Vice President, Craig Lippert, will be Acting Facility Representative.

I attended the Regional Road Show at El Segundo on Monday, the 16^th, and here’s some of the things we talked about:

• Quotes from our administrator:
• “We can make this easy or we can make it difficult!”
• “We cannot sustain this pay”
• “You only need a High School Diploma to be a controller, and they make pretty good money”
• “NATCA does not recognize the hard realities of an industry that is in financial trouble, real tax payer concerns and the fiscal challenges confronting this agency”
• More quotes from Ms. Blakey:
• “I want to assure you that agency negotiators are working very hard, in GOOD FAITH, to obtain an agreement with NATCA.  It has always been, and remains, my strong preference to resolve our contract issues on a voluntary basis”
• “We have simply concluded that the gap between us is too large to continue these negotiations”
• It’s time for a wake-up call!
• We need to use one another's strengths and talents
• We can’t afford to come in and work 8 hours and go home (this is meant for the Reps)
• We can’t afford to NOT be a part of NATCA
• It’s time to get angry and it’s time to put the anger to good use
• The NEB and the Reps CAN’T do this by themselves
• Ham’s Vision for the Future of NWP
• Main focus will be Labor Relations and Legislative action, they will be our “Bread and Butter”
• FAA roadblocks and having to “Think outside of the box” with LR, Legislative, delegation
• Discuss structure of LR team, Legislative team, National LR team
• Working relationship with John Clancy (Terminal) and Steve Osterdahl (Enroute)
• Absolute need for dialogue

The NEB met with Jane Garvey who added some much-needed perspective to the mix.

I have built a very solid office computer for the local and it is available for your use – as a matter of fact, I’m typing this update on it right now!  If there are some games or whatever that you’d like to have on it, Rob or I can install them for you.  Enjoy it!

Take care and be safe,

JK