Yesterday's Tragic Events

NATCA ZSE, 

 As the initial national shock of the tragedy that occurred at Washington National Airport last night begins to wear off, we would like to reach out to our membership and offer our full support to any of you who may need it. We also would like to offer reminders of assistance, the need for professionalism, and the strength our collective unity can have in times of crisis.  

There is no question last night’s accident between JIA5342 and PAT25 is going to cast more doubt and uncertainty in our profession’s future. In the early morning hours, our elected officials had already called to examine air traffic control, fingers were already being pointed, and there was a public outcry over misinformation that had already circulated in mainstream news outlets. We’ve seen knee-jerk reactions to almost every aviation disaster or near disaster, and this will be no different. We want you all to know that we stand ready to fight against any unfair, unnecessary, or unjust harmful changes that may result in the fallout of this tragedy that could have a negative impact on your livelihood. Even though we are 2,763 miles away from DCA, we are anticipating the Agency’s response even here in Auburn, WA. We don’t know what they will look like, but we hope that the FAA will work with us and not against us to improve the safety of our chunk of the NAS. We are strongest when we are united and prepared, which is what we need now more than ever.  

At the National level, we have heard that President Nick Daniels will be making the rounds on the news media this evening, bringing our voice to the fold now that more is known. CNN will have that interview at 4pm PST.  

We want to send our heartfelt sympathies to the loved ones who lost someone last night. We also want to send our love and support to the DCA controllers facing the unthinkable. We owe the controllers the professional courtesy and the common decency of those who lost their lives, of not Monday morning quarterbacking the current limited information. Most people will have their opinions, but we should show restraint in casting judgment until all the facts have been gathered and sorted through.  

We also urge you to use caution when posting on social media websites about the matter. Even if you think your accounts are airtight or completely anonymous, you can never be certain that a “like and a share” won’t end up before a review or in the national spotlight. If you are faced with a comment request, please direct them to Amy, and she can direct them to the public affairs office of NATCA. 

Finally, we understand that questions and doubts can affect even the most stoic’s mental state in times of uncertainty. You are never alone. The employee assistance program is available 24/7. CISM is available 24/7. Members of your local Eboard are available 24/7. Your NATCA family is there for you. As our profession recovers and strives for a brighter future, you, too, can recover and strive for a brighter future. 

For JIA, PAT, and DCA, 

ZSE NATCA 

All Members Meeting Reminder (2/4 @ 1pm)

This is a reminder about the All Members Meeting we previously announced. Here are the details:

📅 Date: Tuesday, February 4th

⏰ Time: Food at 12:30 PM, Meeting at 1:00 PM

📍 Location: East/West Conference Room

We’re still open to food suggestions! Let us know your preferences, or we’ll stick with Costco pizza.

Meeting Highlights:

• Special Briefing: Joe LaPorte (S46), Disaster Response Committee Member, will provide an update from the DRC.

• Local Constitution Changes: We’ll vote on a proposed amendment to the Local Constitution regarding how Alternate Area Representatives are selected.

What’s the change?

The proposal aligns Alternate Area Rep selection with the BWS bid process, allowing Area Reps to stagger schedules for better coverage. It also provides flexibility for changes during the year if needed.

The full proposed amendment is linked HERE.

Make Your Voice Heard!

These local meetings are one of the best opportunities to share your thoughts, ask questions, and influence decisions that directly affect you and your workplace. Your input is valuable, and your participation strengthens our union.

We look forward to seeing you in the East/West Conference Room!

Facility Update January 10th

OJTI Pay Increase

The new 25% OJTI pay starts on Monday. It will take a little while for the FAA to catch on to paying it out, so it would probably be beneficial to keep track of your OJTI hours for the next couple of pay periods. Next week also marks the beginning of OJTI pay for providing instruction for assigned simulation training, stage training, or skill training in simulator labs. In the future, you can expect to utilize CruART to track this time, but it is not quite ready yet. Until then, there will be paper sign-in/sign-out logs available. When you are done for the day, please leave them in the wooden tray near the CruART computer in the TTL. It would not surprise me if management actively looks for people adding to their time, so please remember to keep it accurate and for only the time you are running the problem.

Bid Survey Results

We had 34 responses to the survey, a pretty even response across the areas. Here are the results:

It looks like the majority of people that we heard from would like things to stay the same. So unless some significant new change comes out before the next bidding season, we will probably start out bidding RDOs, Round 1 AL, and the OT limited/available week at the same time. Most people we heard from do not favor stronger skip language.

On Your RADAR

We have been brainstorming ways to ensure your voice is heard and you always have access to a rep. The bid survey form seemed valuable and accessible, so I thought we’d try it out. HERE is a form that can be used to get your questions/comments/concerns to us if you don’t see a rep at the time. This doesn’t alert anyone when a response comes in, so please continue to contact your rep if you have something time-sensitive.

Representational Rights

It is no secret that this new front office regime has a very different vibe than what we’re accustomed to at ZSE. They are encouraging managers to be more disciplinary than ever before. Management will not involve us in disciplinary action without your permission, so we won’t know what’s going on if you don't contact us. You might have seen this cards floating around but just in case, here they are again:

I still have some of these cards, please let me know if you’d like one.

In Solidarity,

Amy Sizemore

On Your RADAR Form

A Message from Your Local Executive Board

All,

As we kick off the new year, we wanted to reach out and address some of the issues being talked about and give your our thoughts on recent events.

Contract Extension and Pay

We wanted to first address the contract extension. Pay remains the Union’s top priority, and rightfully so. But here’s the reality—increasing pay isn’t something that can be achieved through contract negotiations alone.

The FAA can’t meet its current pay obligations without requesting exceptions from OPM every January to pull funds from other budget lines. This isn’t a failure of the Union—it’s a systemic funding issue. Unless Congress appropriates additional funding for the FAA, no amount of negotiation, leverage, or arbitration can force the Agency to pay what it doesn’t have.

Since sequestration cuts began in 2013 (remember getting furloughed?), the FAA’s budget has remained essentially stagnant, while our salaries have increased over 40%. Nearly all FAA funding comes from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF), which was gutted during the pandemic. Without Congressional action to increase funding, substantial pay increases simply aren’t possible.

This is why extending the contract wasn’t a binary choice between negotiating pay and maintaining the CBA. The extension didn’t cut off our ability to address pay, it preserved our ability to have pre-approved Annual Leave and the ability to negotiate how we take it, among many other things. It also ensures we avoid negotiations under unfavorable conditions, especially with an administration that has shown little interest in supporting labor. The extension was a necessary and strategic decision.  It’s not ideal that increased pay wasn’t included in the extension, but it isn’t possible without Congressional action.

Let’s Do This Together

If you have ideas or concerns, now is the time to step up. The convention is your chance to shape our direction and make a real impact. Submitting a proposal is easy and effective. The deadline is January 9th at midnight—don’t wait. If you need help, reach out to Drew. Several of us are submitting a policy statement urging our Union to push for a Congressional funding fix—because without it, addressing pay simply isn’t possible. We encourage you to take similar action. The FAA has never been, and will never be, an advocate for you. Without a strong Union, you have no voice.  

Our local meetings are another valuable way to make your voice heard. Unfortunately, they’re often lightly attended, meaning important perspectives are left out. Let’s change that and ensure everyone has their opinions heard. Use your voice—don’t lose it. 

The post bidding survey has had only 25 participants. Please click HERE to fill this out so we know how to proceed in the fall. Deadline is January 5th.

In Solidarity,

Your Local Executive Board

Facility Update December 20th

We have been working all week on this email, adding to it as things came up. But we got a major bombshell dropped on us at 11am this morning and so I’ll put the new info first and then leave the rest of the email below that.

Slate Book Amended

We had a last-minute telcon for the FacReps this morning, where it was announced that the NATCA and the FAA agreed to amend the current contract's end date to August 2029. The National office sent out an email to the entire membership right after the call ended with all the details. This included a slide show of everything we talked about and links to the 3 townhall meetings that are scheduled to give the membership the full briefing. The are scheduled for Dec 21 at 9am, Dec 22 at 7am, and Dec 23 at noon. We highly recommend that you attend one of these briefings. Each briefing will have a Q&A portion at the end with the ability to put your question in the chat if you prefer. Please do not hesitate to ask questions. HERE is the link to the national email in case you can’t find it in your inbox

Government Shutdown

NATCA National sent out an email today (HERE if you can’t find it in your inbox) outlining a lot more of the details but I will just leave the Cliff’s Notes version here:

• First and foremost, the contract is not suspended just because the government is shut down. Your rights remain the same.

• If this turns out to be a long term shut down, all employees will receive a regular paycheck for the period (PP-26) covering Dec. 1, 2024, through Dec. 14, 2024, on Dec. 24, 2024. The current pay period (PP-01) runs from Dec. 15, 2024, through Dec. 28, 2024. Paychecks for that pay period will be paid on Jan. 7, 2025. If the shutdown is not concluded by approximately Dec. 31, 2024 (the deadline for payroll changes), it is likely that federal employees will receive a partial paycheck for PP-01. 

• The Government shutdown FAQ is HERE.

It’s important to remember that any discussion about a coordinated absence—even as a joke—is a serious matter and could lead to termination. This is not something to take lightly, and we must all approach it with the professionalism that defines us as Air Traffic Controllers. I know you’ll continue to focus on keeping the NAS safe, as you always do. We excel under pressure and rise to meet challenges, and I have no doubt we’ll get through this together, as we always have.

Post Bid Survey

So far, we’ve received only 19 responses to this survey. Please take minutes to complete it so we can accurately represent the membership’s wants. The link is HERE. Responses are due by January 5th.

All Members Meeting

I know you all have been itching to find out when the next all members meeting is and it’s officially set! We will be meeting on 2/4 at 1pm. The food will arrive at 12:30 and the meeting will be at 1. We are open to suggestions on the food, please let us know what you would like or we will just get Costco Pizza.

At this meeting, we will receive a briefing from Disaster Response Committee Member Joe LaPorte (S46).

We will also be voting on proposed changes to our Local Constitution. The proposed change is linked HERE. The short version is that we are proposing a change to how Alternate Area Reps are selected. We want to line it up with the BWS bid (as opposed to running the full 2 year term with the Area Rep) so that Area Reps can attempt to have someone on the other side of the schedule should they so choose. The change would also give them the ability to switch Area Reps during the year if they need to for whatever reason. This was just an oversight in the original change we need to correct.

T Shirt Drawing Winners

Congrats to Zach Deubler (D Area) and Alex Mathers (C Area) for winning this month’s drawing! Your next chance will be on the 15th of next month, which falls on a Wednesday.

National Constitution Amendments

NATCA’s 20th Biennial Convention is coming up, May 9-11, 2025, in San Francisco. This is your opportunity to help shape the future of this union. You don’t need to figure out all the official sounding language, Drew is our local constitutional expert and can help you form your idea into a presentable form. These are due by January 9th so please get in touch with him soon if you have anything you’d like to submit.

I know this was another long email and if you made it this far, thank you. I will keep putting out information as I get it as it pertains to the shut down.

Have a great holiday season,

Amy and Drew