All,
I hope everyone is having a fun and safe Labor Day/Labor Day weekend, if you are BBQing, make sure you buy Union!
Here's the Update:
Meter Arcs
The change in the SEA meter arc should be complete by Sept 15th. This will make the SEA arc one continuous line as opposed to the split one that we have now. With that update, the PDX meter arc name will change from OCITY to PDX as well.
The PDX arc will eventually be added to our maps but we need to pick out a spot for it. We currently have all of our buttons in use so we gotta ditch something. My vote would be the button that shows all of the fixes on the TMBRS arrival. I don't think anyone uses that. So when you get a chance, look at the MAPD buttons and tell me which one you would like to change to the PDX meter arc. Unless I hear otherwise, I'll have them replace the TMBRS Arrival button.
PDX Metering
Last week I said PDX could use runway 7/21 during their next runway closure. I'm pretty sure no one in the country has 7/21 as a runway configuration. That's a pretty steep turn. They have 3/21. As far as I know that closure is still scheduled to start on Sept 10th. Time will tell if we will still have to meter.
How is everyone doing with the PDX metering mitigations? Is the B area asking for more than what we have already agreed to?
Future Plans for SEA Routes
There has been some talk for awhile regarding a better routing for SEA arrivals. Our current routings create unintended consequences like conflicts with PDX climbers and an obscene amount of traffic calls. When those routings were implemented, they were never meant to be permanent. Some folks in the airspace office have been working on a possible change to these routings in the future that moves the flow of traffic to the west of LMT and LKV and adds some holding fixes. I've attached an early mock up of what that might look like. The mockup shows BLYTZ and KNGDM scooted over from where they actually will be when they publish so don't get too attached to this drawing. I wouldn't expect this any time soon, but conversations are being had about it. So if you have thoughts on what a good idea might be, feel free to email me directly or start a slack conversation about it as well.
Trump's Alternative Pay Plan
Here are updates from our Regional Legislative Rep Richard Kennington and from the National Office on the President's most recent antics regarding our pay.
Dear Member,
In case you didn't receive this already, I wanted to pass it along because I know that a lot of our membership has been fearing the worst and giving wild interpretations based on what they hear in the news or, even worse, on social media. Here is a summary of how the Presidents plan would actually affect us and the procedure that would have to happen to make it go into effect.
It is times like this that demonstrate why we develop relationships constantly on Capitol Hill and why it is not sufficient to become "legislatively interested" only when something negative happens. I encourage you to get involved legislatively, even if this simply means donating to the NATCA PAC. This is a good example of how investing a few dollars into educating our Members of Congress can affect your pay and benefits for the rest of your career and retirement. You can't afford not to participate.
Richard Kennington
Northwest Mountain Legislative Chair
Brothers and Sisters,
Yesterday, the President transmitted an alternative pay plan to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and the President of the United States Senate, in accordance with the discretion provided in the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990. The alternative pay plan includes a zero percent general increase for 2019 and a zero percent locality pay increase. Although some media outlets are referring to this as a "pay freeze," it would only affect the January pay adjustment and would not affect any other contract-related pay increases.
It is important to note that the President's alternative pay plan will take effect only in the absence of congressional action. The Senate already passed the Fiscal Year 2019 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill that includes a 1.9 percent pay increase for federal employees, effective the first full pay period in January. However, the House of Representatives did not provide for a pay increase in its Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, 2019. Ultimately, the House and Senate will have to reconcile their bills in conference, otherwise deal with this disparity as part of a larger appropriations package, or pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) before appropriations expire at the end of September.
If no appropriations bill or CR is signed into law before Oct. 1, the government will experience an emergency shutdown. If Congress passes a bill that includes a pay increase and it is signed into law, the President's action yesterday will be overridden.
We will continue to keep you updated as this issue progresses.
That's it for this week.
In Solidarity,
Drew