Facility Update May 23rd

OSHA Update From Patrick Long

The pavement project is in full swing and progressing to phase 2, which will significantly impact the operation floor and the overall parking situation. Phase 2 will occur over the next two months and close down the west side of the facility parking lots along the apartment complex. During this phase, the sidewalk on the west side will be removed in sections, which means no walking along that side. They have placed caution tape to keep people out, PLEASE don’t walk through there. At times there will be large deep holes while they make the area ADA-compliant. Also, the doors from the OSW towards the west parking area will have signs saying “not an exit” please do not go out there, again large deep holes.

Beginning Monday (the 22nd), they will start tearing up the alleyway between the generator building and the control floor, leading towards the loading dock and behind the cafeteria. The work will commence between 600-1630 Monday- Thursday. We conducted some tests to see the impact of these machines inside the control floor. The consensus was that you might feel a vibration when they pave new material, but it did not impact operations. If there are any issues, please inform the OM immediately.

During this phase, and additional phases, occur parking spaces may become limited. Behind the generator build is additional parking if need be.

A final reminder to please be vigilant of all the construction, trucks, and crew around the parking lots. There have been instances where vehicles went down the wrong direction of our one-way parking lot and almost hit a pedestrian and a vehicle backing out of a spot. Also, please watch for construction flaggers and vehicles, as they do their best to keep everyone safe.

Anyone with any questions or concerns can bring them to me or your area rep. NATCA is active in all construction project phases, and all our concerns are being addressed.

Travel

I will be working with the facility leadership in PSC for the next two days, but I will be available via phone and email if you need anything. Also, Drew will be here if you need anything. Next week though, we will both be out Tuesday and Wednesday for the Regional meeting. We will report the details of that meeting at our All Members Meeting on June 5th.

Thank you,

Amy Sizemore

All Members Meeting - Monday, June 5th

Hey all! This is just a reminder about our upcoming All Members Meeting on Monday, June 5th. It will be at 1pm in the East/West Conference room. There will be tacos available starting at 12:30. We will be discussing some of the proposed amendments to our National Constitution. This is your chance to weigh in and let your reps know how you would like them to vote. See you there!

Chico

Drug Testers in the Building

All,

Just a heads up to pee judiciously today as the drug testers are in the building.

Drew

Collaborative Resource Work Group (CRWG) Update

Good Morning,

The NATCA National email was sent out this morning with updated staffing numbers from the CRWG. Our number has increased from 165 to 166.

Here's some context: The FAA has multiple offices, and the Air Traffic branch (ATO) is separate from the Finance branch. Finance can operate autonomously, meaning they base staffing numbers on budgets rather than what's needed to support the system. NATCA has worked to get the CRWG numbers reported to Congress instead of Finance's numbers, but there was a last-minute push to still require Finance's number to be reported. This is why we worked to make the CRWG numbers law at NiW.

A couple of key points:

The updated number doesn't automatically change our staffing level. This is currently just another data point. Also, the "CIC Add-On" table shows smaller facilities that are only allowed 2-6 supes. ZSE's number is 0 because it's impossible to facilitate a schedule without using CICs for entire shifts. Our supe allotment at ZSE allows for minimal CIC coverage since we don't have 24 OSs in the building.

Please check your email for the National email with more details, but if you can't find it, the links to the two tables are HERE and HERE.

Please let me know if you have any questions,

Amy

Facility Update May 5th

It’s good to be back home after such a long week. I wanted to write a little about my experience at NATCA in Washington, and Drew also has some Convention announcements.

NATCA In Washington

This week I was able to go to NATCA in Washington for the first time. This was an eye-opening experience of the amount of work our legislative activists put into promoting our interests with our elected officials. 

On the first day, the attendees were taught about "The Ask" and listened to some guest speakers. "The Ask" is a clear and unified message that NATCA communicates to all 535 elected officials in the House (435) and Senate (100) to ensure consistency. This year, the focus was on why a specific language related to staffing is crucial to be included in the FAA Reauthorization bill. This would ensure that the number used to staff facilities is the collaborative number agreed upon by FAA and NATCA rather than the arbitrary number that FAA finance uses to brief Congress annually.

The first guest speaker at the event was Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg. He has been touring air traffic facilities across the NAS to understand the challenges faced by individuals working in the industry and the buildings they work in. He highlighted changes he hopes to bring about through upcoming infrastructure bills during his speech. He has expressed support for modernization and improvement of airport infrastructure and for promoting sustainable transportation options. It was great to hear him speak in person.

We also had the pleasure of listening to Senator Tammy Duckworth. Tammy Duckworth is a former U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel currently serving as an Illinois Senator. She served as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army and lost both her legs while on a mission in Iraq in 2004 when a rocket-propelled grenade shot down her helicopter. The actions of her quick-thinking crew ended up changing a recovery mission to a rescue mission, saving her life. After her military service, she became an advocate for veterans' rights and entered politics. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and later became a Senator in 2016. Senator Duckworth is known for her work on military and veterans' issues, as well as her support for women's and disability rights. 

The second day was filled with back-to-back meetings organized by state coordinators with each elected official's staff since the House was in recess. During these meetings, participants explained "the ask" and answered any questions from the officials' staff, all while building meaningful relationships for future collaborations. Some attendees were able to meet with Senate members directly. We took some more meetings on the morning of the third day and then boarded a plane to come home.

NATCA in Washington plays a crucial role in the success of our union. While I previously believed that I understood its significance, I was mistaken - it is even more vital than I realized. I highly recommend that you consider attending the event next year, which is scheduled for May 1-3, 2024.

Convention Booklets are out!

By now, you should have received a package containing the proposed revisions to our National Constitution and Bylaws. Please take some time to review these documents and inform us of any questions you may have, as well as your preferences for voting. Amy and I will be serving as your representatives at the upcoming National Convention in June, and we want to ensure that we are accurately reflecting your interests. For your convenience, a PDF of the booklet is available HERE. We will also be discussing all of these at our next Local meeting on Monday, June 5. This meeting is crucial because this is where you tell us how you want us to vote on the proposed amendments at Convention.

Thank you,

Amy and Drew