Fam Training MOU
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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AIR TRAFFIC SPECIALISTS
AND THE
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
SUBJECT: Liaison and Familiarization Training
The document attached to this Memorandum entitled Liaison and
Familiarization Training, represents the Parties new agreement on
Article 56, Familiarization Flying. Effective May 31, 1999, this MOU
replaces Article 56 as contained in the 1993 NAATS/FAA Agreement.
For the Union For the Agency
(signed) (signed)
Wally Pike Deborah Wachter
President Labor Relations Specialist
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AIR TRAFFIC SPECIALISTS
AND THE
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
SUBJECT: Credit Hours for Liaison and Familiarization Training
Section 1. This agreement is made and entered into by and between the
National Association of Air Traffic Specialists (hereinafter "NAATS" or
"the Union") and the Federal Aviation Administration (hereinafter
"the Agency" or "the FAA").
Section 2. A bargaining unit member shall be authorized to earn credit
hours to replace another employee's shift to accommodate a familiarization
training trip.
Section 3. Each instance of earning credit hours under this agreement
will be approved based on the individual possessing the qualifications
necessary for shift coverage.
Section 4. The approval to earn credit hours may be canceled when the
employee for whom another employee was voluntarily substituting, cancels
the familiarization training request.
For the Union For the Agency
(signed) (signed)
Wally Pike Deborah Wachter
President Labor Relations Specialist
ARTICLE 56
LIAISON AND FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING
Section 1. All bargaining unit members who are certified on a minimum
of two operational positions are eligible to participate in the national
standardized familiarization training program. When a specialist achieves
eligibility, he/she is not again required to meet this provision.
Section 2. The national standardized program shall include standards and
procedures pertaining to familiarization flying in air carriers, military
aircraft and private aircraft.(Air Carrier includes any commercial, air
taxi, or commuter flights under Title 14 CFR Parts 121, 135, or 298.)
No facility or regional office of the Employer shall add, delete,or in
any way alter the standardized familiarization program. Both Parties
recognize the desirability of familiarization flying as a training program
and that it is intended solely to acquaint control personnel with the
cockpit environment and to enable them to observe the operation of the
air traffic system first hand.
Section 3. ,The Parties recognize that cockpit familiarization training
in air carriers involves internal regulations and procedures of individual
air carriers. Matters beyond the purview of the Employer include, but are
not limited to, number of trips per air carrier per year, dress code in
the cockpit, eligibility for participation and procedures for application
to participate. The Parties recognize that any air carrier may suspend
or abridge their participation in the familiarization program at any time
and that the Employer has no authority to direct the conduct of the
program by individual air carriers.
Section 4. The Parties recognize that military and private operators
specify their own internal regulations and procedures governing flight
familiarization by employees and that such regulations and procedures are
beyond the purview of the Employer to alter. In cases where the states
procedures are less restrictive than the Employer's requirements for
employees' participation, the Employer's requirements shall apply.
Section 5. If an employee is assigned duties at the outbound destination
as part of the familiarization training, the employee shall be placed in
official travel status and paid per diem except for those activities
contained in Section 12. Both Parties recognize that the standard
government travel regulations require that employees be placed on
official travel status when assigned duties at the destination, and
further, that budgetary limitations govern the approval of familiarization
training involving assignment of official duties.
Section 6. All familiarization training shall be conducted on duty time.
The Employer may approve familiarization training in conjunction with
approved leave days and regular days off in any combination.
Section 7. Prior to familiarization training, any eligible employee may
request to substitute duty time for his/her approved annual leave for the
purpose of this Article. If an employee has approved leave for the purpose
of this Article. If an employee has approved leave, he/she may exchange
regular days off for such leave.. (illegible word;webmaster) ..provided
the change does not result in overtime or violation of the basic workweek.
An employee shall have the right to change days off for familiarization
training in accordance with Article 34, Watch Schedules, Section 34-03
of the NAATS/FAA Agreement dated July 16, 1993.
Section 8. The national standardized program shall include provisions for
one foreign overseas flight per calendar year for those employees assigned
to facilities that work international departures and/or oceanic airspace,
unless further restricted by the carrier. Employees eligible under this
Article may also travel to overseas domestic locations, but such training
will not be considered as foreign overseas travel. For the purposes of
this Agreement, training flights to Canada and Mexico shall be considered
overseas domestic.
Section 9. Use of different air carriers or the same air carrier for
different segments on the same familiarization training flight is
authorized.
Section 10. Each employee shall be limited to not more than one
familiarization trip per air carrier per calendar year, except when a
carrier has indicated it will allow more than one trip per year.
Participation in the familiarization training program is limited to not
more than six trips per calendar year, no more than two of which may be to
the same destination airport. One of the six trips per year may be an
international trip for eligible participants. Familiarization training may
be approved even though overtime is being used in the facility, provided
the overtime is not specifically scheduled to cover for the individual
taking the trip. Normally, previously approved training should not be
canceled to prevent/reduce the use of overtime in the facility.
Section 11. The Employer shall guarantee each eligible employee two
familiarization training trips per calendar year, at the request of the
employee. Such guaranteed trips must be requested of the supervisor, no
less than 45 days in advance of the scheduled trip. Given the fact that the
operational environment is the number one priority, the Parties agree that
it may be difficult to approve multiple trips for the same day(s).
Therefore, at the local level, the Parties will meet to develop procedures
to ensure that multiple requests for the same day(s) will be honored to the
greatest extent possible. The overtime guidance contained in Section 10 is
applicable.
Section 12. Eligible specialists may commute a reasonable distance to make
use of the allowable trips authorized under Section 10 of this Article.
Such commuting trips shall be at no expense to the government. Flight time
is the time of departure to the time of arrival at the final destination.
For flight times three hours or greater, the employee shall be considered
in a duty status for eight hours. For flight times less than three hours,
the approving official shall account for the remaining duty time by
ensuring that prearranged training is accomplished by one or more of the
following:
a. Observe the operation of the airport air traffic control facility.
b. Observe the carrier's dispatcher operation.
c. Observe other local FAA operations (i.e. FSS, FSDO, SMO, etc).
Approved leave may be used as part of the duty day. For the purposes of
this section,travel and per diem shall not be authorized.
Section 13. All familiarization trip requests must be submitted to the
facility sufficiently in advance to permit three administrative days for
internal processing. This is in addition to the advance notice required by
the air carrier and time for mailing.
Section 14. Familiarization flights are on-the-job training and shall be
counted as hours toward the minimum yearly proficiency requirement.
Training objectives shall be identified by the approving official at the
time the training request is approved. A familiarization training report
shall be submitted by the specialist in accordance with the program
directive. An employee traveling on such a flight on his/her regularly
assigned duty day receives the same premium pay he/she would have received
had he/she worked his/her regular shift.
Section 15. All familiarization training shall be subject to the approval
of the Employer. Such approval will be governed by the operational and
staffing requirements of the facility.
Section 16. Annually, the Parties will meet to ensure adequate tracking,
adherence to policy/procedures, review program security, and make
recommendations for improvements. Program changes may be made by mutual
agreement.
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