Date Posted:20:34:19 04/22/06 Sat Author:Eric Subject: VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!
Dear Boerboel Family,
I don't usually bother you guys with personal stuff, but this is a very big deal.
For the last nine months NATCA (the Air Traffic Controllers Union) and the FAA have been negotiating a contract that will cover the work rules and pay structure for all air traffic controllers over the next five years.
The vast majority of the articles of the contract had already been negotiated successfully (The 1998 contract took over a year to negotiate).
Last week the FAA walked out of the negotiating process and submitted a "last best offer" to congress. If congress does not act on this proposal within 60 days of this submission in goes into effect as the new contract.
The "last best offer" was submitted to congress the afternoon before a 2 week break. Congress is also scheduled to have another week long break in May during the 60 day period. In the normal course of business congress would be very unlikely to finish any kind of legislation on a new issue in 60 days. With 3 weeks taken out of those 60 days.....slim and none jokes come to mind.
The pay schedule of this offer was identical to the pay schedule in its initial proposal, and despite claims to the contrary this change would result in an immediate pay cut for the majority of controllers, a pay freeze for 96% of controllers, and give the FAA the ability to cut controller pay through the reclassification of facilities at anytime with no bargaining and no congressional oversight.
This issue is as serious as they come, and not just for me. Since there has been basically a hiring freeze in effect from 1992 - 2004 for air traffic controllers the controller force is overwhelmingly senior (I have 15 years experience and I am very close to the bottom in seniority).
Some 25% of the workforce is eligible to retire or will become eligible in the next 12 months.
This contract would give strong financial incentive to retire immediately. At Miami Center, we are already working with fewer controllers than we need. Overtime is used every single day to keep the operation from slowing down air traffic. If we lose up to 25% of our staffing in such a short period of time I can't honestly say that safety will not be affected.
There are other draconian provisions in this "last best offer", but I am not going to try and explain them all here. I have attached the union response if you are interested in reading all the details.
I am asking that you call and email your Senators and Representatives about this issue, demanding immediate action, and that you forward this email to your friends and family.
