ATC Needs your help
05-13-2006, 10:47 AM
#1
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 94
ATC Needs your help
I hope you guys can download the link below. Think your airplane is the only one up there? Think again. Notice at 30 seconds, the severe weather (in red) covers Memphis airport, aircraft begin holding, and the ones running out of fuel head to their alternate airports. Taking three strings of airplanes going 400+ mph and putting them into a nice line so you can jam them into an airport that is about to close is quite impressive. To do it with thunderstorms takes skill, practice, and steely nerves. I am fairly certain that this controller left work that day with a headache. Our job is fun sometimes. This wasn't one of them.
http://www.dauntless-soft.com/PRODUC...nderstormFedex
Last summer, our union, NATCA, and the FAA started negotiating a new Contract. The last one was signed in 1998. On the day before negotiations started, the appointed head of the FAA, Marion Blakey, used taxpayer money to fund press conferences around the country telling the American people that their controllers are overpaid and underworked. On April 5, Blakey took advantage of a provision that allowed her to send her last offer to Congress. If they do not act within 60 days, then she gets to IMPOSE her pay and work rules on Air Traffic Controllers. Knowing this, she had NO incentive to negotiate with us in good faith. FAA declared impasse (or stalemate) on April 5th at 3:04PM. At 5:00PM, she submitted a 300 page last-offer document to Congress, right before they left on a two week Easter break. So, instead of sixty days, they only had about forty six. Smart? Maybe. Telling of her character and true 'bad faith' intentions? Definitely. Up until 3:04, the FAA was still obligated to negotiate in good faith by trying to reach a voluntary agreement. While NATCA worked through the night Tuesday to offer even more pay concessions, the FAA was instead preparing their submission to Congress to start the 60 day clock before they left town.
On June 5, the new and unimproved work rules and pay cuts will serve as a disincentive for retirement-eligible controllers to continue working. There were 15,300 U.S. controllers two years ago. Under Blakey's leadership, there are now 14,300. By 2007, 4000 controllers, hired en masse after the 1981 strike, will be eligible to retire By 2011, over half the work force (8000) will be eligible. Five years may seem like enough time to get ready; however, it takes about three years to get a controller fully certified. NATCA believes pay cuts, stricter dress codes, and other work rule changes guaranteed to lower morale even further will exacerbate current staffing problems by convincing veteran controllers to turn in their headsets. Speaking of dress codes, do you care if that Memphis controller was wearing jeans or even shorts and a golf shirt, or is it that important that he was wearing dockers and a button down? Obviously, we like being comfortable when we work.
What does this mean to general aviation aircraft, airlines and their passengers? Well, take away the Dallas Cowboys' right tackle and a wide receiver and see how many points they score. Take away the right tire changer on a NASCAR pit crew. Send two DEA agents to bust up a drug ring when they really need four. Cut the number of firemen at your local firehouse by a quarter. You won't notice....unless there's a fire. Tell the surgeon who is about to do that by-pass that he has to work with one less nurse. Don't backfill when your Assistant Pastor leaves and demand the Senior Pastor provide the same level of service.
The FAA is trying to do more with less. That's an OK business model unless, of course, your business happens to be safety. The FAA has bragged about staffing their supervisor ranks at 100%, while the controller ranks are staffed at about 86% and dropping, partly because they promote their supervisors from the controller workforce. MORE supervisors watching FEWER controllers work MORE airplanes. Makes sense to me! For now, controllers are good enough to make it work, but you can only stretch a rubber band so far before it snaps.
The FAA wants the public to believe this is all about money. Of course, money is always part of any contract negotiation, but it is also about what happens to the system if you give a large group of controllers a disincentive to stay. Although I'd like to keep my current salary and get the same cost of living adjustments that all federal employees receive, my family can and will adjust to a pay cut just like many Americans do every day; however, like all controllers, I am forced to retire at age 56. Many people can continue earning a good salary into their sixties. I cannot.
Controllers are NOT asking for a penny more than we get now. In fact, in the last few days of negotiations, NATCA offered $1.4 Billion in salary cuts over the five year contract, while the FAA "moved" from $1.9 Billion to $1.9 Billion. Again, NATCA moved $1.4 Billion in a desperate goodwill attempt to reach a voluntary agreement, and the FAA moved zero. They claim they need the money for equipment upgrades. In Texas, we have a term for that explanation, and it starts with "bull." This is all about exerting their control over the people who keep you safe and trying to break their union, a union by the way which was at the forefront of every successful implementation of equipment and procedure upgrade from 1998-2004.
On 9-11, controllers did something we've never trained for or even discussed, the clearing of U.S. airspace. In about two hours, controllers landed 5000 planes without a single incident. In 2005, controllers in New Orleans worked around the clock coordinating thousands of rescue flights even though some of them had lost their homes. They slept whenever the could, wherever they could. In Baton Rouge and Lafayette, controllers worked almost four times their normal traffic levels for weeks. Controllers from Florida, Texas and across the South took annual leave to rush to the scene bringing food, water, portable toilets, etc. to help keep the operation going. During Rita, Beaumont and Houston controllers stayed on duty while their families evacuated. Time and again, controllers have come through for the American people. Now, we need you to come through for us and your ATC system.
If you are interested in helping...
Call 1 877 FAIR FAA. You will be connected to your Senator. Tell them you want them to support Senate Bill 2201 which will restore fairness to the FAA and NATCA negotiating process.
Go to http://fairfaa.com and click on "FairFAA" to send an EMail. It might take three minutes to do both.
Senate Bill 2201 guarantees us nothing but a fair shake. It simply says that if the two sides reach impasse and Congress does not act, the Parties go to Binding Arbitration. It would take away the FAA's disincentive to negotiate in good faith. There are currently a majority of House members who have co sponsored the bill, including about 60 Republicans; yet, under White House pressure, Speaker Hastert refuses to allow it to come up for a vote. In the Senate Bill, we have about 40 co-sponsors, but there are others who say they will support it if it comes up for a vote. That is where your phone calls can help.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is a current snapshot of most of the airplanes in the United States. Click on during a weekday late morning or afternoon. This doesn't include VFR aircraft and most other general aviation aircraft, which would probably add about 30%. It will give you an idea of what is going on up there. When you are comfortably seated on your next flight, think about us, because I can promise that we're thinking about you.
You get from Point A to Point B safely because of professional controllers, pilots, mechanics and other workers, not because of Marion Blakey.
http://www.natca.org/flight-explorer/united-states.aspx
Feel free to forward this message to anyone who flies.
http://www.dauntless-soft.com/PRODUC...nderstormFedex
Last summer, our union, NATCA, and the FAA started negotiating a new Contract. The last one was signed in 1998. On the day before negotiations started, the appointed head of the FAA, Marion Blakey, used taxpayer money to fund press conferences around the country telling the American people that their controllers are overpaid and underworked. On April 5, Blakey took advantage of a provision that allowed her to send her last offer to Congress. If they do not act within 60 days, then she gets to IMPOSE her pay and work rules on Air Traffic Controllers. Knowing this, she had NO incentive to negotiate with us in good faith. FAA declared impasse (or stalemate) on April 5th at 3:04PM. At 5:00PM, she submitted a 300 page last-offer document to Congress, right before they left on a two week Easter break. So, instead of sixty days, they only had about forty six. Smart? Maybe. Telling of her character and true 'bad faith' intentions? Definitely. Up until 3:04, the FAA was still obligated to negotiate in good faith by trying to reach a voluntary agreement. While NATCA worked through the night Tuesday to offer even more pay concessions, the FAA was instead preparing their submission to Congress to start the 60 day clock before they left town.
On June 5, the new and unimproved work rules and pay cuts will serve as a disincentive for retirement-eligible controllers to continue working. There were 15,300 U.S. controllers two years ago. Under Blakey's leadership, there are now 14,300. By 2007, 4000 controllers, hired en masse after the 1981 strike, will be eligible to retire By 2011, over half the work force (8000) will be eligible. Five years may seem like enough time to get ready; however, it takes about three years to get a controller fully certified. NATCA believes pay cuts, stricter dress codes, and other work rule changes guaranteed to lower morale even further will exacerbate current staffing problems by convincing veteran controllers to turn in their headsets. Speaking of dress codes, do you care if that Memphis controller was wearing jeans or even shorts and a golf shirt, or is it that important that he was wearing dockers and a button down? Obviously, we like being comfortable when we work.
What does this mean to general aviation aircraft, airlines and their passengers? Well, take away the Dallas Cowboys' right tackle and a wide receiver and see how many points they score. Take away the right tire changer on a NASCAR pit crew. Send two DEA agents to bust up a drug ring when they really need four. Cut the number of firemen at your local firehouse by a quarter. You won't notice....unless there's a fire. Tell the surgeon who is about to do that by-pass that he has to work with one less nurse. Don't backfill when your Assistant Pastor leaves and demand the Senior Pastor provide the same level of service.
The FAA is trying to do more with less. That's an OK business model unless, of course, your business happens to be safety. The FAA has bragged about staffing their supervisor ranks at 100%, while the controller ranks are staffed at about 86% and dropping, partly because they promote their supervisors from the controller workforce. MORE supervisors watching FEWER controllers work MORE airplanes. Makes sense to me! For now, controllers are good enough to make it work, but you can only stretch a rubber band so far before it snaps.
The FAA wants the public to believe this is all about money. Of course, money is always part of any contract negotiation, but it is also about what happens to the system if you give a large group of controllers a disincentive to stay. Although I'd like to keep my current salary and get the same cost of living adjustments that all federal employees receive, my family can and will adjust to a pay cut just like many Americans do every day; however, like all controllers, I am forced to retire at age 56. Many people can continue earning a good salary into their sixties. I cannot.
Controllers are NOT asking for a penny more than we get now. In fact, in the last few days of negotiations, NATCA offered $1.4 Billion in salary cuts over the five year contract, while the FAA "moved" from $1.9 Billion to $1.9 Billion. Again, NATCA moved $1.4 Billion in a desperate goodwill attempt to reach a voluntary agreement, and the FAA moved zero. They claim they need the money for equipment upgrades. In Texas, we have a term for that explanation, and it starts with "bull." This is all about exerting their control over the people who keep you safe and trying to break their union, a union by the way which was at the forefront of every successful implementation of equipment and procedure upgrade from 1998-2004.
On 9-11, controllers did something we've never trained for or even discussed, the clearing of U.S. airspace. In about two hours, controllers landed 5000 planes without a single incident. In 2005, controllers in New Orleans worked around the clock coordinating thousands of rescue flights even though some of them had lost their homes. They slept whenever the could, wherever they could. In Baton Rouge and Lafayette, controllers worked almost four times their normal traffic levels for weeks. Controllers from Florida, Texas and across the South took annual leave to rush to the scene bringing food, water, portable toilets, etc. to help keep the operation going. During Rita, Beaumont and Houston controllers stayed on duty while their families evacuated. Time and again, controllers have come through for the American people. Now, we need you to come through for us and your ATC system.
If you are interested in helping...
Call 1 877 FAIR FAA. You will be connected to your Senator. Tell them you want them to support Senate Bill 2201 which will restore fairness to the FAA and NATCA negotiating process.
Go to http://fairfaa.com and click on "FairFAA" to send an EMail. It might take three minutes to do both.
Senate Bill 2201 guarantees us nothing but a fair shake. It simply says that if the two sides reach impasse and Congress does not act, the Parties go to Binding Arbitration. It would take away the FAA's disincentive to negotiate in good faith. There are currently a majority of House members who have co sponsored the bill, including about 60 Republicans; yet, under White House pressure, Speaker Hastert refuses to allow it to come up for a vote. In the Senate Bill, we have about 40 co-sponsors, but there are others who say they will support it if it comes up for a vote. That is where your phone calls can help.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is a current snapshot of most of the airplanes in the United States. Click on during a weekday late morning or afternoon. This doesn't include VFR aircraft and most other general aviation aircraft, which would probably add about 30%. It will give you an idea of what is going on up there. When you are comfortably seated on your next flight, think about us, because I can promise that we're thinking about you.
You get from Point A to Point B safely because of professional controllers, pilots, mechanics and other workers, not because of Marion Blakey.
http://www.natca.org/flight-explorer/united-states.aspx
Feel free to forward this message to anyone who flies.
05-13-2006, 11:53 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2005
Position: CA 767
Posts: 402
Not once in your brief did you quote any salary. And I know why. The Avg. salary of controllers has more than doubled from 8 years ago. You now make more 95% of ALL major airline pilots that you are hired to control.
I hope you get what you ask for, but you should be VERY thankful with what you have without a pay cut. And just think, your home in your own bed each and every night.
I wish we had an American Airline that was run my the Govt. Never have a pay cut again. Just raise more revenue with taxes.
I hope you get what you ask for, but you should be VERY thankful with what you have without a pay cut. And just think, your home in your own bed each and every night.
I wish we had an American Airline that was run my the Govt. Never have a pay cut again. Just raise more revenue with taxes.
05-13-2006, 12:52 PM
#3
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 94
Nash,
We are compensated fairly and our union is not asking for a pay raise, we offered 1.4 billion in concessions and the FAA wanted 1.9 billion from the first to the last day of our talks. Our new imposed work conditions that will start on June 5 unless congress acts, has a lot more than the pay issues, it affects our leave, schedules, safety, controller involvement on equipment upgrades, and many more issues. The FAA has wrongly attacked its own workforce and turned this into a pay issue, while we are compensated fair, we are not compensated want Marion Blakey and the FAA has claimed in public. I work in Atlanta at the busiest facility and make $118,000. A controller in Mobile, AL makes around $75,000. Mrs. Blakey has repeatedly used $166,000 and up. Do some controllers make that, probley, but they work lots of OT. Unless we get congress to take action we will be taking a pay cut, and we will below the GS pay scale, so some pencil pusher in Washington DC that works Monday through Friday will make more than us.
All we are asking for is fairness, for congress to force the FAA to go back and bargain with us through an arbitrator.
"I wish we had an American Airline that was run my the Govt. Never have a pay cut again"
Trust me no you don't, I have many pilot friends and I know a you guys don't have the best management but ours would blow you away with some of the things that goes on behind the scenes. After all the FAA's nicknames are FEMA with wings and the Tombstone agency.
We are compensated fairly and our union is not asking for a pay raise, we offered 1.4 billion in concessions and the FAA wanted 1.9 billion from the first to the last day of our talks. Our new imposed work conditions that will start on June 5 unless congress acts, has a lot more than the pay issues, it affects our leave, schedules, safety, controller involvement on equipment upgrades, and many more issues. The FAA has wrongly attacked its own workforce and turned this into a pay issue, while we are compensated fair, we are not compensated want Marion Blakey and the FAA has claimed in public. I work in Atlanta at the busiest facility and make $118,000. A controller in Mobile, AL makes around $75,000. Mrs. Blakey has repeatedly used $166,000 and up. Do some controllers make that, probley, but they work lots of OT. Unless we get congress to take action we will be taking a pay cut, and we will below the GS pay scale, so some pencil pusher in Washington DC that works Monday through Friday will make more than us.
All we are asking for is fairness, for congress to force the FAA to go back and bargain with us through an arbitrator.
"I wish we had an American Airline that was run my the Govt. Never have a pay cut again"
Trust me no you don't, I have many pilot friends and I know a you guys don't have the best management but ours would blow you away with some of the things that goes on behind the scenes. After all the FAA's nicknames are FEMA with wings and the Tombstone agency.
05-23-2006, 10:40 PM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 273
I'll second 8out
You only need to fly abroad a couple times, to truely know ow controllers make the skies of the U.S a luxerious place to fly at.
In my country to practice a stupid ILS (that is available in only one airport) you have to schedule in advance and sometimes they cancel that clearance in when you're in the air, inbound, while being vectored for the ILS on the basis of traffic. Or atleast those were the old laws.... now days they have ceased letting people practice ILSes at that airport, it's only sim or flying internationally to some other place..... fun huh?
In my country to practice a stupid ILS (that is available in only one airport) you have to schedule in advance and sometimes they cancel that clearance in when you're in the air, inbound, while being vectored for the ILS on the basis of traffic. Or atleast those were the old laws.... now days they have ceased letting people practice ILSes at that airport, it's only sim or flying internationally to some other place..... fun huh?
