FAA imposes contract terms on US air controllers

[Eugene]

FAA imposes contract terms on US air controllers
Mon Jun 5, 2006 6:01pm ET

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - The Bush administration imposed new contract terms
on more than 14,500 U.S. air traffic controllers on Monday after failing to reach
a negotiated agreement with the controllers' union, officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to phase in pay cuts for new hires as well
as new rules to boost worker productivity that were not resolved during 10 months
of bargaining, which included mediation.

<snip>

Agency officials are under pressure from transportation planners and congressional
leaders to cut spending and operate more like a business.

(FAA adminstrator) Blakey took a firm position and said during negotiations the deal
she ended up with would not be as lucrative as the previous contract, which was
negotiated in 1998.

<snip>

Full article: http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2006-06-05T220038Z_01_N05250660_RTRIDST_0_TRANSPORT-FAA.XML

[MercutioATC]

1. Look here for more info:

www.fairfaa.com

We (air traffic controllers) have agreed to $1.4 BILLION in concessions (from less than 15,000 controllers) and the FAA has declared impasse.

If anybody has any questions, I'd be happy to share...

[Jazzgirl]

2. Mercurio, please share details.

I have not heard of this though I knew the *shrub agenda was to turn everything government into a business. People forget government isn't supposed to act like a business. Its government!!! Its supposed to take care of people!!! The ATC's are there to help keep us safe in the air!!! It is not a fucking corporation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[MercutioATC]

4. The crux of the matter is that this administration loathes unions.

NATCA (my union) got along famously with the last FAA Administrator, Jane Garvey (appointed by Clinton).

Working together, we implemented several new systems that resulted in increased efficiency and savings to the user (the airlines...and, by extension, everybody who flies).


That came to an end with the Bush administration. Bush appointed Marion Blakey as the new FAA Administrator (think Jean Schmidt with more expensive cosmetics).

The unfortunate reality is that we were (before Blakely declared impasse) negotiating a new contract for air traffic controllers. Knowing that the entire country was going through tough economic times, NATCA proposed a package that gave concessions of $1.4 Billion over the five-year length of the contract (over $97,000 per employee). Blakey began the "negotiations" demanding $2B in concessions and refused to budge...she ended demanding $2B in concessions. When NATCA stated that it felt that we had met the Agency's requests MUCH more than halfway, Blakey declared impasse.

As the rules stand, if the Agency declares impasse, the contract goes to Congress for 60 days. If Congress decides not to act (and they haven't) the Agency is allowed to unilaterally impose a contract.

We're not looking for a bailout. We're not looking for sympathy. What we're looking for is support for HR 5449, a bill that would, in circumstances like this, NOT allow the Agency to unilaterally impose a contract in the event of an impasse, but would require that the contract (assuming Congress ignores it) be sent to arbitration.

If YOU were a Bush-appointed FAA Administrator and you were allowed to impose a contract if no agreement was reached, wouldn't you demand unreasonable concessions, declare impasse when ATCs didn't agree, and then just impose whatever contract you wished? That's what's happening. All we're asking for is an incentive that the government to bargain in good faith by requiring arbitration if an agreement can't be reached. Make no mistake, it's a Bush-appointed arbitration panel, so we're still going to get screwed. However, at the least, we'll have managed to preserve SOME semblance of fair bargaining.

...and that's all we're asking for. www.fairfaa.com

[Scout1071]

11. I am friends with several air traffic controllers and they are outraged!

Seriously, they are freaking out and watching the FAA be destroyed, much the way that FEMA was destroyed.

[libnnc]

3. Kick damn it all!

My partner is an ATCer. Needless to say she's pissed.

www.fairfaa.com

[Pharlo]

5. Reagan's scabs

ought to have known they wouldn't be treated any better than their predecessors. My sympathies lie with the original ATCs who lost their jobs. While it is terrible and devastating for these people, at least they saw the writing on the wall before they were hired.

[libnnc]

10. "Reagan's scabs?"

Wow.

So what was my SO supposed to do with her life right out of the Navy ATC program in '86? Work at Taco Bell?

[MercutioATC]

12. I was 13 years old when Reagan fired the controllers...I'm a "scab"???

:eyes:

[peacebuzzard]

6. Can't tell you enough how much I appreciate this link....

on my way early a.m. to D.C. to obtain more info on the fatigue issue for crewmembers. FAA is not releasing studies done on the health/occupational ramifications of excessive duty hours vs. rest time infringements on work rules for working crew members. I will pass this info along to many.
Thanks, poster.

[wakeme2008]

7. Are you flying to Atlanta today

http://www.natca.org/flight-explorer/atlanta.aspx

[sutz12]

8. "More like a business"

God how I hate it when I hear people say that about government organizations.

It's not supposed to run like a busines!

It's not a business. It is a government safety organization!

It's goal is not to make money, it's goal is to provide for aircraft and flying safety. I fear their moves to make things more "efficient" will not help that goal.

:mad:

[Vidar]

9. As if they haven't fucked up air travel enough already.