Happy St. Patricks Day!
NATCA in Washington (NiW) May 2-4
Most of you already know this, but whether it’s the FAA or NATCA trying to make a change, almost everything must go through Congress. NATCA works very hard to create and maintain relationships with members of Congress that will work in our favor and promote our interests. One of the ways we accomplish that is through NiW. This is where we can gain attention by showing up as a large group and also, at the same time, acting as constituents and speaking to our respective leaders. If this is something that interests you, you can sign up HERE.
A couple of common questions/concerns:
Don’t worry if it’s your first time going, you won’t be expected to lead any discussions or anything, it’ll be a lot of observing until you get your feet under you.
“I’ve heard NATCA only supports (insert party name) politicians. What if my politics do not align with that?” There is a common misconception that NATCA exclusively supports politicians affiliated with a particular political party. However, as a labor organization, it is in our best interest to align ourselves with those who have our back. The party affiliation of the supporters is of little significance. What truly matters is having supporters from across the political spectrum. This diverse support base empowers NATCA to achieve its goals more effectively.
Airspace Rep
Congrats to Garret Wilkerson as the new ZSE Airpsace Representative. This position will not be replacing any of our current area-specific airspace reps, he will be acting as the single point of contact to the airspace office when it comes to NATCA’s input on facility-level items. We finally have been able to build joint momentum in improving a lot of items in our airspace, but the Airspace Office is currently understaffed. The work they do is very intricate and nuanced, so adding someone that already has experience in that arena should prove to be helpful for all.
Cell Phones / Smart Watches
The Turn Off, Tune-in program has been around for nearly a decade, and so far, we have done well with keeping with its principles, but lately, more and more people in the control room have been using their phones and smart watches. Expect this to be a focus item for them. I am working with the front office to upgrade the charging stations outside the control room.
NATCA Charitable Foundation (NCF) Step Challenge
The 3rd Annual NCF step challenge starts soon, on March 26th, and ends May 9th. Spokane has won this national challenge two years in a row, and I would love to see ZSE kick them off the podium. Please consider signing up (so many people are out walking the parking lot during breaks anyway ;) and supporting a good cause. We are consistently providing local charities with funds from NCF. Sign up HERE.
☘ Amy Sizemore ☘