All,

I hope everyone is having a good week.  I don't have a lot for you this week, just some updates on some of the irons in the fire.  First and foremost...

MEMBERSHIP MEETING TODAY!!  3PM @ THE RAINBOW CAFE IN AUBURN.

MOU Negotiations

These are ongoing.  We will have some info to discuss at the Local Meeting today at 3pm @ the Rainbow Cafe in Auburn so make sure you are there.

PDX Metering

Just a quick update for those of you who can't figure out how to use slack and haven't seen any of our messages there.  We are still working on trying to get mitigations put in place for PDX metering.  The mitigations that I have personally agreed to are:

During times of metering:
    - All PDX landers over or west (in the case of being vectored) of AARON
    - All PDX landers FL300 and below
    - TTD and HIO do need to be sequenced with each other but not with PDX
    - PDX arrivals below TTD and HIO

It is important that these be implemented for the duration of metering.  I have seen several scenarios where the B area waits until they can't handle it anymore and then asks us to start forcing aircraft down and if we are also metering to both airports, that creates an unsafe situation.  These are mitigations that should come on as soon as metering does.

It was also brought up that aircraft were locking in late or appearing late.  That shouldn't be happening anymore.  TMU says they reset the freeze horizons and didn't push them back out.  Apparently now it is fixed.  I will believe it when I see it.  Let me know if you are having issues with aircraft not locking in at a reasonable spot.  Make sure you make note of the time so I can pull the data.

As for when these mitigations will be implemented, that is anyone's guess.  I am asking anyone who will listen to help me get this done but not much movement is being made on it.  You'll see something in CEDAR when it is official.

The current runway closure ends Sept 7th and then they will close the other parallel on Sept 10th. That should have less of an impact on the rate because PDX can still use 7/21.  I am skeptical of that.  Time will tell.

 

National Office Update Regarding District Court Decision about Executive Orders Lawsuit

Some of you may have already read this, but just in case you haven't, here is an email sent by National on Friday:

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

Late Friday, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, issued a decision, partially granting the union-plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment and issuing an injunction preventing the administration from implementing key provisions of the three executive orders (EO) issued on May 25, 2018. The EOs would have: (1) expedited the process for removing employees from federal service; (2) reduced the use of union official time government-wide; and (3) reduced the time it takes to negotiate collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and to reduce the costs contained within them. 

We notified you previously when the EOs were issued, once we analyzed them more fully, and when the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued its guidance for implementing the EOs. In those prior messages, we assured you that "there should be no changes to any of NATCA's agreements with the FAA - local or national - nor any changes in how they are implemented. The same is true for all current practices and procedures between the parties."

Because of the way other unions' CBAs were written and how other agencies were implementing the EOs, those unions could not make similar assurances to their members.  Instead, they sued, and on Friday, the Judge agreed with their arguments, in part, finding some of the provisions of each EO to be invalid because they conflict with the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (title 5 United States Code chapter 71). Specifically the Judge wrote, "this Court has concluded that many of the challenged provisions of the Orders at issue here effectively reduce the scope of the right to bargain collectively as Congress has crafted it, or impair the ability of agency officials to bargain in good faith as Congress has directed, and therefore cannot be sustained."

This decision is only the first step in the judicial review of the EOs, as the administration is likely to appeal the District Court's decision. In the meantime, the administration is prevented from implementing key provisions of the EOs, including the restrictions on official time, union office space, and the expedited processes for conducting opportunities to demonstrate acceptable performance and removing employees.

Regardless of the ultimate judicial resolution of this case, the EOs shall effect no change on NATCA's negotiated agreements, both term CBAs and mid-term agreements, as well as established past practices, whether national, regional, or local. We are confident that FAA and Department of Transportation will honor our CBAs in compliance with the law, our CBAs, and the OPM guidance

If you become aware of any attempt by the agency to implement any part of the EOs, or make any other changes, please immediately contact your FacRep and Regional Vice President.

In Solidarity, 

Paul Rinaldi, NATCA President

Trish Gilbert, NATCA Executive Vice President

 

Thats all for this week!

 

In Solidarity,

 

Drew