Quarterly Meeting 9/30/04 Millville, NJ

NAATS: Ron Consalvo, Curt Lasley, Arnie Holmes, Bill Straube, Jeff Bittner

Region: Ron Mulgrew, John McCartney, Bill Y., Helen K, Greg Hollenback-505.

Meeting Scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. All NAATS members present on time, Region representatives arrived at 10:08.

1. ZDC FSDPS AUS - Curt stormed out with Bill Straube following. Bill Y changed mind from last meeting. He said it is managements right to assign work. After discussion, Levan will become an ops supervisor with area knowledge to begin immediately. Levan is looking for a job at HQ.

2. PPS - Bill Y said that he NEVER said that time off awards were not available. They will give us a breakdown in a few weeks. Time is needed to gather the info.

3. Islip Fence - Management agrees there is a problem. Documenting everything. Going back to Southwest Airline about prior agreement. NAATS ULP still going forward.

4. VFR corridors. Cosmo states PCT has no interest in creating the corridors but since it is PCT’s airspace they can do what they want. Someone must bring up the issue from the Terminal ATO. Cosmo can have direct contact with PCT management and get issue brought up this way. John and Bill Y will talk to both Cosmo and PCT. Additional discussion on the DCA walk-in briefs. Curt advised closing the position on a test basis with an eye toward making it permanent. We realize there will be push back from AOPA. Walk-ins receive unfair advantage over phone customers and briefs talk longer. Will look at closing the walk-in position.


5. TMP – Southern Region is forming an ad hoc team to gather traffic info. RDU is able to help DCA traffic. DCA has not provided RDU with training package. Bill Y told Cosmo to get the package to RDU ASAP. Recommended that training package be reviewed by Howard Sapp before being sent. SOP errors are driving factor.

6. O/T – Flex coding for credit hours for IPT. Letter to MGR (Bill Matten) of IPT formally requesting credit hours. Requested and budgeted for more O/T. But no budget has been passed yet.

7. There is no AEA plan.

8. Code 9 time for Sunday’s and Holiday’s. Bill Y wants to check into the situation. NAATS reminds Bill that nothing has changed for NAATS with the FLRA decision. We never received holiday or premium- pay for Union time.

9. Kirby Maclaren. 540 branch is now involved. Bill Y. has IOU and will start the ball rolling. Was unaware who TK was or that a problem existed.

Grievances.

NA-AEA-04-021-DCA-6

Leesburg. O/T list not used. HL assigned O/T for both Sat and Sun. Statement submitted by Cosmo Hamilton riddled with many inconsistencies.
Management offered a settlement of 8hr credit hours. FACREP and Manager will identify the 2 individuals. NAATS accepts offer.

NA-AEA-04-020-ISP-6

Old contract would have given employee a grade increase to GS-9. Employee was not given a timely pickup date due to school date availability is argued by NAATS. Employee was given first available class. Ron agrees there was no undue delay. NAATS withdraws the grievance.

This ends the grievances submitted.

Discussion items.

DCA grievances are not being addressed in a timely manner. Contract requires 10 day time frame for oral presentations. DCA manager is not following the new contract. Bill Y will talk to Cosmo.


AEA HR rep Steve Branza AEA-16 is contact point for grievances

EASTERN REGION REFLECTS ON NATIONAL ISSUES As the Holidays approach us and we think of what we have to be thankful for as well as what the upcoming year will bring our Jobs are in the forefront of everyones minds. Our pay and contract is still not settled. Where are we at and where do go in the future is the question. Wally has met with the FAA Administrator to help her see why it is imperative that we implement our work rules ASAP. That includes CIC, OJTI and FERS sick leave buy back. Wally explained the minimal budgetary impact of these issues for our bargaining unit. The Administrator took an IOU and since that meeting mgmt has been told to track CIC pay for approx 2 pay periods. I believe she will find that our figures of minimal impact are correct. We also have a ULP filed on this issue. She can either make a decision or we continue down the FLRA route. As far as our pay there has been no movement. The agency is working on a strategy plan for all unions still at impasse on pay. They will not entertain a proposal or sit down and discuss one until they are ready. This is another ULP in progress. Congressionally we have made no movements. Because of the non-decision by the mediator so far the only thing Sen. Young has been willing to do is send a letter to the Administrator on our behalf. However even with the A-76 study looming we will continue to fight. As for the A-76 study, I will try and explain it to the best of my ability. In order to kill the study it has to be done congressionally. The administrator cannot end the study. She can write to the head official and request it be stopped but it is out of Air Traffics hands. It has become a budgetary issue. What can you do??? Have a union meeting and brainstorm what your facility can do to help in the fight, write your representatives, organize picketing, and ensure FBO mailings are sent out. Educate every pilot on the safety and services that will be affected if a contractor wins the bid and we are outsourced. A special thanks goes out to Curt Lasley, who organized picketing at IAD airport the Wed before Thanksgiving. and facrep Ed Pierce and members Bill Straube, Nancee Neimic, Pierre Langoc, Jim Stevens, Beth Gerritts (AOO), Pat Reynolds (Non-member) and 3 members from AFSME, DC Hdqts led by Bill Choinard for their participation in the picketing. Check the Eastern Region NAATS web site for details. DCA AFSS is also being targeted for a Fox News broadcast within the next 2 weeks. NAATS has been told that NATCA has begun to plan picketing efforts across the US. Check with any local NATCA or PASS reps for ideas on how we can work together. OK..what if we cant kill the study? Let me try and explain the study process. A feasibility study was completed. All facreps attended a briefing at the RO to educate us on the results. Was the study flawed? Yes. Can we do anything at this time about the initial study? No. Next steps.A Performance Work Statement (PWS) will be developed, its like a requirements document that will go out to all interested bidders. The FAA will submit a bid to compete with the contractors. That bid is called the Most Efficient Organization (MEO). The contractor has to submit a bid 10% below the agency bid to win the contract. If not, the agency wins and we remain government employees and are not contacted out. NAATS will have representatives on the PWS workgroup as well as the MEO workgroup. Those core workgroups are in the process of forming, however there will be regional and national subgroups as the need arise. Please let me know if you are interested in any type of workgroup and how much traveling you would be willing to do. I also need a brief resume. So now what??? Our representatives have to ensure that every service we provide is documented in detail and quantified with how much time it takes and the amount of staffing required, as well as the certification of personnel that is needed. Every bid has to meet this PWS so if anything is left out it will enable the contractor to formulate a lower bid. OK the PWS is completed; time frame is estimated to be sometime next fall. The bid goes out and the agency and NAATS begins work on creating an MEO. How can we save costs and provide the best service possible all without hurting our members in pay and benefits. It will take innovative thinking and possibly some changes in Paradigm. Can it be done? I am the eternal optimist and I say yes. However we have to remember the FAA has the final say on what is in the bid and what competes against the contractors. If we cannot kill the study this is the only hope to save our jobs from being competitvely outsourced. We have to win the bid with our MEO> The fight and the study process is going to take dedicated individuals willing to give 100% of their time to the cause. For union members thanks for your support over the years. We are in the fight of our lives and we need that continued support. For those of you that are not union members..WHY? It takes resources to fight and we need the financial support of every Flight Service Controller. Just think at the present time we have approx 62% union membership. Thats 1360 members out of 2184 eligible BUMs. At approx 650.00 a year dues 100% membership would give us an additional $500,000.00 a year to USE IN OUR FIGHT. You ask why NATCA are the BIG DOGS? Their membership is at about 98%. If 25.00 a pay period is too much. Think what it may be like if you get no paycheck or a pay reduction if you chose to work for the contractor. Most non-union members have been enjoying the benefits of NAATS for years without paying a dime. Just think how your GS-12 affected your life. I wont get into all the intangible benefits that NAATS has provided. So stop a moment and consider joining NAATS, if you decide the answer is NO then remember we will continue to represent you to the best of our ability but how long will it last??? I hazard a guess there will be no union if we are contracted out. In Union Solidarity Donna Holmes Eastern Region Director