Vol. 11-8 September Part 4

September 1997, Volume 11, Issue 8

At the recent national executive board meeting, the group passed a resolution pledging $10,000 toward the AFL-CIO's fund to support striking workers employed by the United Parcel Service. NATCA's support of strikers didn't stop with the board's decision. Facilities nationwide organized efforts to walk the picket lines with their union brothers and sisters.

Members of Newark Airport took important steps in August toward correcting problems plaguing the New Jersey facility. Rep. William Pascrell, D-N.J., or-ganized a meeting between NATCA, the Federal Aviation Administration, Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., himself and representatives from Continental Airport. The meeting was the first of its kind and it represented a willingness on behalf of all involved parties to keep the lines of communication open.

Participants addressed staffing shortages, airspace problems and how to reduce delays. "It was awesome to sit at a table with 40 people representing all facets of the aviation industry and openly discuss air traffic issues," said Newark Vice President Ray Maldonado. "Nothing concrete came out of the meeting, but that wasn't the purpose, it was simply to begin the communications process and get our issues out there. The meeting was a great success."

Aviation professionals from around the world stopped by the NATCA trade booth at the Oshkosh Air Showthe biggest event of its kind. The Experimental Aircraft Association said this year's show had the second highest registration of aircraft ever. Al most 900 people entered to win a NATCA jacket and about 200 associate membership applications were given out. Thanks to all who volunteered at the show.

The daily stress involved in an air traffic controller's work is no secret to those in the profession. Readers of Men's Health magazine received a small glimpse of what it is like in the publication's July/August issue. An article on high pressure jobs featured Salt Lake City TRACON controller Steve Darton. The story paints a picture of what it's like to work in the control room and how controllers must be on their toes at all times. Darton describes how he handles the stress to keep it from building up and avoid burnout.

The National Aeronautic Association chose NATCA's Executive Vice President Mike McNally to serve on the selection committee for its Elder Statesman of Aviation Award. The award was established in 1954 to honor outstanding Americans who have made contributions of significant value to aeronautics and have reflected credit upon the United States.

President Clinton's recommended 2.8 percent pay raise for General Schedule employees effective January 1998 is being well received by Congress. Federal pay raises fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate Appropriations Treasury, Postal/Civil Service, and General Government Subcommittees. Both the House and Senate have already passed the fiscal year 1998 treasury and general government spending billssignaling no opposition to the increase.

The budget deal signed by President Clinton on Aug. 5 contains a provision to increase federal employee retirement contributions for the Civil Service Retirement System by one half percent. The increase would be phased in over five years beginning in 1998.

NATCA welcomes its new Field Services Team to the national office. Allegra Tasaki joins the staff as new Field Services Team Lead. Tasaki comes to the union from the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry where she worked on membership and educational programs, annual audits and marketing.

Carol Poole, who formerly worked in the Great Lakes Region office, will begin as NATCA's new Field Services associate Sept. 15.

NATCA spoke and the media listened when the national office sent out a press release citing the asbestos problems plaguing Boston and Indianapolis Centers. Several local television stations and newspapers covered the stories extensively. It even gained the attention of new Federal Aviation Administrator Jane Garvey who visited Boston Center to meet with air traffic controllers and discuss ways to solve this serious problem. Members of Congress are taking action as well. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., wrote to Garvey voicing his concerns with the slowness of FAA's response to the Boston Center problem. He urged Garvey to determine the cause of asbestos at Boston Center and prevent such emergencies from happening again.

Boston Center should have been evacuated July 29 because of dangerous asbestos levels six times above the national standard when a contractor left a hose running on ceiling tiles above the control room. Asbestos laden water dropped on the floor for hours, exposing 70 to 80 controllers to carcinogenic materials. The Federal Aviation Administration not only neglected to evacuate the building, but it did not notify headquarters or employees until seven days after the fact.

Indianapolis Center employees also dealt with an asbestos leak six times above the national standard on June 22and twice since thendue to contractor errors. "Again the FAA continued to lie to controllers and their union about the seriousness of the problem to avoid political fallout," said NATCA's Executive Vice President Mike McNally. "Asbestos is a nationwide issue. We've butt heads with callous FAA officials over similar problems at Washington Center in Leesburg, Va., and at Chicago Center in Aurora, Ill."

Glendale Tower in Arizona became one of the latest contract towers to join the NATCA ranks on July 23. Phoenix Tower Local Vice President Gernot Nowak was instrumental in obtaining a 100 percent "yes" vote for NATCA representation in the tower.

Five percent operational differential pay arbitration

A split decision was issued in the union's grievance on whether controllers should receive the five percent pay differential while performing duties on a detail or temporary assignment away from an air traffic center or terminal and not engaged in the active control of aircraft. The ruling stated controllers should only receive the five percent differential during the first 90 days of the detail. NATCA is filing exceptions to this award with the Federal Labor Relations Authority.

VSCS arbitration

NATCA scored a victory in the grievance concerning the Federal Aviation Administration's unilateral implementation of Voice Switching and Control System training at Oakland Center. The arbitrator agreed with the union that the agency failed to prove the implementation of VSCS was operationally necessary.

The national office filed the grievance over contract interpretation when management failed to conclude bargaining and provided training to bargaining unit employees. They cited the agency had no other choice given the operational necessity of quickly implementing VSCS under Section 4 of Article 7. The arbitrator noted the FAA's timetable for VSCS is for administrative and economic reasons rather than upholding the standard of operational necessity as defined in Section 4 of Article 7: "To maintain the safety and the integrity of the air traffic system." This decision will strengthen future Article 7 bargaining in the area of new technology and equipment.

Cultural and Workplace Diversity Training

Negotiations for implementation of "Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" continue. Bargaining unit employees should not participate in this, or any other, cultural or workplace diversity training and management must not solicit or encourage union members to attend workshops.

The Federal Aviation Administration is currently developing cultural diversity training to meet air traffic controllers' needs. No bargaining has been concluded with NATCA on this matter. Also be aware of cultural or sexual harassment training developed by regional offices.

Republicans take aim at unions

Imagine receiving a phone call or letter every time NATCA needed to use political action committee money for a fund raiser or other advocacy efforts. And what would happen if members could no longer use official time to perform union business. The organization might possibly go broke.

These things could happen if legislation introduced by Republicans as a retaliatory attack against unions pass. "They are merely trying to get back at labor for the $35 billion dollars in union PAC funds used to try to defeat that party's candidates," said NATCA President Barry Krasner.

The proposed laws range from limiting official time government-wide, to requiring unions to receive written permission to use an individual's dues for political purposes, to changing financial reporting requirements. If passed, the legislation would cost unions an unnecessary amount of time and money.

This would affect NATCA members by eliminating the use of official time to execute union related activities, such as grievance arbitration or contract negotiations. The union would be responsible for paying all expenses every time work was performed on NATCA's behalf and members would need to use personal time.

One bill requires political action committees to sign up members on a yearly basis and obtain permission for all expenditures. Ken Montoya, NATCA's lobbyist, says these bills would essentially cripple and bankrupt most unions. "First of all, there is no reason for us to re-solicit membership on a yearly basis," he said. "Contributions are voluntarymembers are able to come and go as they please. And it would be nearly impossibleand annoying to membersto obtain permission from each PAC contributor every time we needed to spend money."

Another bill prohibits use of union dues for 'issue advocacy.' It would require unions to notify members what portion of their dues goes toward political activity. According to Montoya, NATCA uses no dues money for this purpose.

Proponents of the legislation cite the case Communications Workers of America v. Beck as the basis for their position. The Supreme Court ruled in Beck that individuals may not be required to pay fees toward union political expenses. Bill supporters say disclosure problems with the current procedures warrant additional regulation to assure union members are aware of their right to refuse the use of dues for these purposes.

Labor unions counter they have sufficient procedures in place to inform anyone who might object to their dues money being spent on political activity as required by the National Labor Relations Board. They are democratically run organizations and, if the membership does not support leadership decisions, they will be voted out. Stricter regulations are unnecessary and burdensome.

"There is very little chance this legislation will pass. I'm confident President Clinton will veto any anti-union bill that comes across his desk," said Krasner. "They are merely trying to silence working families who want to be involved in the political process. People join PACs because it is an easy way to contribute to causes they believe in. There is strength in numbers. Not everyone can afford to make thousand dollar donations."