Just a few things before we ring in 2019:
Local Leave tracking - After speaking with management today, they will be tracking leave in accordance with the CBA. No leave shall be approved during the shutdown. However, for a leave request of any sort, it will be processed in the normal manner. It will just show as furlough and have notes added to show what type of leave this was intended to be (SL, AL, etc). They will be advising those that do not have the balance to cover the requested leave under normal circumstances that they are going to add the note of AWOL. I cannot stress enough that the idea of “free leave” is misleading and that the intention is to revert all absences to what the notes reflect. This may or may not stick, but I needed everyone to be aware of the possibility.
Shutdown Flu - As you may or may not have read, the agency is experiencing a sharp spike in SL that coincides with the shutdown that management is calling the Shutdown Flu. NATCA calls it SL. If you need to use SL in accordance with the CBA, that is your entitlement and you should do it. If you don’t meet the criteria in the CBA for SL, the expectation is for you to report to work like normal. In the NNM, we have been the shining example of immunity as the East Coast has been ravaged. I can’t thank you all enough for keeping your professionalism and work ethic intact.
Anti-Shutdown Message to Capital Hill - This brings me to the effort to show all on Capital Hill that this Shutdown is unacceptable. This is not a partisan stance and is not asking for a specific solution to end to the shutdown. This is simply a call to an end to this madness and dysfunction. If you have not used the link HERE please do so. It takes less than a couple of minutes and is very effective. I know from my many times on the Hill speaking to our Reps that they remember message avalanches that hit them and they respond. Please take a moment to fill this out and share with EVERYONE you can. (Also, we’re ahead of ZDV in the count and I’d like to keep it that way since they like crap teams like the Broncos).
This year has been an experience and I am grateful for the ups and downs. It has been, and continues to be, a learning experience and I am fortunate to be able to serve this great local for as long as you’ll let me. Please continue to critique and support us and thanks again for the opportunity. Have a Happy and Safe New Years!!
Alex Navarro III