Hello all and happy Labor Day. This day has many different meanings for many different people. For some it is just another long weekend. For others, it is the day before the kids go back to school. For me, it is a day when we should remember all the sacrifice that came before us to make NATCA the great organization that it is. I have believed in NATCA and Unions since the day I joined and I continue to believe in them more and more everyday. I hope everyone enjoys this day, but also takes a moment to think about what it truly means to us and this Great Union.
That carries me into the next topic. I would like to discuss membership rights and how those translate to me and the rest of the Eboard. As elected officials we have the obligation to the membership to hold management accountable for their actions everyday. These can be as small as scheduling issues and sneaking training into CEDAR and as large as investigations and disciplinary actions. We also have the obligation to all employees to maintain a certain level of confidentiality. I know that when something takes place in our building, the rumors spread like wildfire. As one of your leaders, I do not believe it is part of my job to participate in rumors nor openly discuss ongoing investigations or disciplinary action that is still in managements hands. NATCA is never in the position of administering any kind of punishment or judgment of any employee. We, as your representatives, have to protect the process to ensure integrity across the board. Please be aware that anyone of us, at anytime, may need Union representation. I can assure you, I will afford all of you the same level of respect, confidentiality and ensure the process is adhered to. If there is anyone else who would like to discuss this further with me, please feel free to call, email or catch me at work.
MOU negotiations are beginning on Wednesday morning. At this point we are putting the final touches on the online bidding portion, but other than that we are set to go. Please remember that during the negotiation process there will not be open discussion about the specifics of the negotiations. We are hoping this process will be somewhat quick and hope to start briefing and bidding very soon.
Last week I attended Representative Training and I have to tell you that it was a phenomenal class. I have always felt I had a good handle on our contract and how it applies to us, but his class dove really deep into more specific articles and really dissected them for us. The days were long, but the quantity and quality of the information was so valuable. I look forward to applying what I learned to continue to make ZSE a great place to work.
I will be on the road again beginning Sept. 9th and I will be back in town Sept. 19th. During this time I will travel to OKC for TRB training and then from there to LAS for the Center FACREP meeting and CFS. I apologize that I’m on the road so much for this bit of time, but my hope is to further grow as your FACREP and a NATCA leader. Thank you for your patience as I continue to improve my skills to better serve all of you.
In Solidarity,
Derek Adams