NATCA Celebrates International Day of the Air Traffic Controller |
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Donate to Support the Disaster Response Committee's Ongoing Efforts |
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Region X Member Al Arcese to Receive Commitment to Safety Award |
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NATCA Mourns the Loss of TMB Member Melchisedeck Fontilus |
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Unum: The Insurance That Will Help You When You Need It Most |
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Operation Traffic Counts Across the U.S |
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National Office Staff Employee Spotlight: Kendal Manson |
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NATCA Academy Virtual Learning |
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Union Members Feature: OPEIU |
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ITC Tech Tip: Adding NATCA Emails to Your Primary Tab in Gmail |
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New Shirt Honors NATCA Military Veterans and Supports NCF and Lone Survivor Foundation |
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Tom Morello Supports the NATCA Charitable Foundation's 25 for 25 Campaign |
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NATCA in Washington 2021 Date Change |
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Retirement Webinars Scheduled through December |
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NATCA Celebrates International Day of the
Air Traffic Controller
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NATCA is proud to join others in the United States and throughout the world in celebrating the International Day of the Air Traffic Controller on Oct. 20. This special day honors all the men and women who work to make air travel the safest possible mode of transport.
The day also marks the anniversary of the founding of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) on Oct. 20, 1961. NATCA is a member of IFATCA. It was created to further the interests of the air traffic control profession at the international level. IFATCA represents more than 50,000 air traffic control professionals in more than 130 countries.
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On this day, NATCA joins in recognizing aviation safety professionals globally as essential professionals. As a result of the pandemic, the world's aviation system is under stress like never before. But despite the challenges, these professionals in the U.S. and in other countries have continued working day in and day out to keep the airspace moving safely.
Below are examples of the many ways the members of our great Union have demonstrated they are essential.
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Hurricane Response in the Gulf Coast Region |
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The 2020 hurricane season has been particularly devastating for significant parts of the Gulf Coast with numerous major storms. Hundreds of NATCA members live in these affected regions. Southwest Louisiana and Pensacola have been hit particularly hard this year. But NATCA members again rose to the occasion, keeping operations safe in the storms’ aftermath, showing their dedication to professionalism as essential employees.
Hurricane Laura made landfall in the Lake Charles, La., area at the end of August. Only six weeks later, Hurricane Delta made landfall in the same area. Both storms affected NATCA members from Beaumont, Texas, all the way to the New Orleans area.
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Members from Lake Charles ATCT (LCH) – that is a proud 100% NATCA facility – were displaced more than once. First, Hurricane Laura took direct aim at their facility, damaging it and requiring the use of a mobile tower. "Our city, facility, and membership were devastated by the fifth most powerful hurricane to ever make landfall in the U.S.," said LCH FacRep Benjamin Turnipseede. "The tower cab was destroyed, and most floors had their windows blown out causing major damage." Then, Hurricane Delta forced a team of controllers to relocate to Houston Center (ZHU), again causing an uncertain situation for LCH members.
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"There were many hurdles and challenges with this process, and we quickly realized there was a serious need for experienced approach controllers to work the LCH airspace," added Turnipseede. "We organized two teams to travel to ZHU and provide approach control services from the Lake Charles specialty. This was a huge challenge for controllers who have never used En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) technology or any of the other Center equipment. Everything from the keyboard to the data tags is foreign to someone coming from a terminal environment."
A true sense of teamwork and solidarity has shone through this catastrophe, with ZHU and LCH members working hand in hand to get the job done. Further, NATCA members from all over the country have pitched in to support the displaced controllers, many of whom sustained damage to their homes and vehicles. More than 10 flights were coordinated by the NATCA Disaster Response Committee, with NATCA members flying in much needed supplies to the Lake Charles area.
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"It was amazing to watch the dedication, flexibility, and professionalism of our LCH membership during the most difficult of times," said Turnipseede. "They truly went above and beyond, and performed exceptionally." |
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Member from Chennault Federal Contract Tower Needs Help |
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Chris Somers – a 12 year U.S. Air Force veteran, current air traffic controller, and the NATCA FacRep at Chennault Federal Contract Tower (CWF) located in Lake Charles, La. – and his family, have had a very rough several months. The Somers family found themselves in the direct path of both Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta. Laura damaged their home and left them without power and running water for weeks on end. Delta caused more damage and left a foot of water in their home. They lost a long list of personal items from the resulting flood, from furniture to clothing.
NATCA Southwest (NSW) Regional Vice President (RVP) Andrew LeBovidge and NSW Alternate RVP and Houston Center (ZHU) FacRep Chris Parris, in concert with NATCA's Disaster Response Committee (DRC), launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the Somers family.
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A Message From the Disaster Response Committee: Support our Ongoing Efforts |
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Sisters and Brothers,
We – as members of the Disaster Response Committee (DRC) – are asking you for your help. This year continues a full court press on the lives of our membership. From wildfires on the West Coast, a derecho in the Midwest, and the Gulf Coast being battered from hurricanes and tropical storms, we are prepared to assist NATCA members and their family members.
NATCA established a disaster relief fund in 1992 in the wake of Hurricane Andrew in Florida. Following the devastating 2017 hurricane season, NATCA formed the DRC to manage the disaster relief fund and organize the relief process for NATCA members affected by a disaster. Due to the generosity of our membership, our fund has continued to grow and has provided assistance to those members affected when disaster strikes.
However, due to the extreme challenges of 2020, we need your help today to replenish funds used to help dozens of NATCA members this year. We have set a goal of raising $25,000 by the end of 1st quarter 2021 to replenish from the 2020 challenges.
How you can help:
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California, Oregon, and Washington are enduring a fire season of historic proportions.
On Aug. 15, there was a dry lightning storm over the Bay Area in California. More than 10,000 lightning strikes sparked 367 fires. There have been six large scale fires since then, and five of those six have been the largest fires in California history. Throughout this ordeal, aviation safety specialists have continued to work with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to set up temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) to keep general aviation and commercial airplanes out of the way of airplanes like CAL FIRE's McDonnell Douglas DC-10 that drop water and retardants to help contain the fires.
“Typically, when these fires happen, it’s in a forest area, where there are not large airports,” said Oakland Center (ZOA) FacRep Ronnie Williams. “A temporary tower will be set up to help with the extra workload. These airports that normally have 20 flights a day, increase to nearly 400 flights a day.”
This year, fires have occurred in areas that don’t usually burn. Smoke was impacting everyone, leading to eerie orange skies, and if the wind changed, it would have been dangerous for the public.
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Members oversaw the use of drones to survey the area. Military drones have been used to fly over the fires and use infrared to find hot spots. The drones could be in the air for 16 hours at a time, 24 hours a day. Also, fire coordinators are in the air, going from fire to fire to do assessments.
Portland ATCT (PDX) members' experience with the wildfires affected their facility directly. “Portland TRACON (P80) is co-located and had to evacuate due to smoke and relocate to PDX to work their operations from there,” said PDX FacRep Corrie Conrad. “At times, it would also get smokey in the tower. We were constantly working with tech-ops and management to get air purifiers and work on the ventilation system to get the smoke out of the tower cab.”
No matter where our members were located on the West Coast, the FAA emphasized the importance of keeping the cargo planes in operation. Because of the coronavirus, cargo planes continue to carry personal protective equipment across the Pacific Ocean to the U.S. “The cargo airports have taken priority for the health of the nation,” said Williams. “As essential personnel, we have to keep the cargo moving.”
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NATCA Archie League Winners |
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We are beginning our series of introducing the 2020 Archie League Medal of Safety Award winners. Starting in this issue and continuing in the coming months, we will present their remarkable saves performed in the past year throughout the country. NATCA plans to recognize all of the winners at the 18th Biennial Convention in Houston on the evening of Wednesday, May 26, 2021.
The flying public doesn't always get to thank aviation safety professionals for the work you do daily, performing with 100 percent accuracy, 100 percent of the time. We at NATCA thank all of you for the work you do, keeping millions of passengers safe daily.
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16TH ANNUAL ARCHIE LEAGUE MEDAL OF SAFETY AWARDS WINNERS' SPOTLIGHT
Southern Region: Marcus Troyer, Pensacola TRACON (P31)
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It was like most any other ordinary summer afternoon in Pensacola, with a lot of weather, when Marcus Troyer plugged in for his shift at Pensacola TRACON (P31) shortly after 12:30 p.m. EDT. In the skies to the west, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Brian Hedges was the pilot and aircraft commander on an ordinary training mission in a newly-converted MH65E helicopter. But a short time later, Troyer and Hedges were joined in a search and rescue effort that was anything but ordinary and showcased the essential nature of their respective professions. |
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Pensacola TRACON (P31) member Marcus Troyer |
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U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Brian Hedges |
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Thanks to their efforts, the life of the pilot of a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, Scott Jeffrey Nee, was saved after he crashed into the sandy bank of the Escambia River in a remote area of Jay, Fla., north of Pensacola near the Alabama border, and was seriously injured. |
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“They are heroes,” said the plane’s owner, Freddie McCall. “They saved a man’s life.”
Troyer had just plugged in when McCall called the facility to report that he was missing an aircraft.
“We weren’t talking to the aircraft at the time,” Troyer said. “We went back and did a Falcon replay to try and see if we actually tagged him up or anything. We did not, so that complicated the situation.” Troyer had experience doing quality control work and was well versed on search and rescue situations.
McCall, who used his own aircraft to look for Nee, located the crash scene and reported that to Troyer, who was in his 12th year of his Federal Aviation Administration career - all at P31 - through this event before initiating a transfer to Houston Intercontinental ATCT (IAH) earlier this year. “I used all my knowledge that I had from working at Pensacola and tried to get Navy helicopters to respond, but most of them couldn’t do it because of fuel,” he said, adding that the heavy thunderstorms in the area posed many challenges. A LifeFlight crew was in Pensacola but had just completed a mission and was in a mandatory cooldown period.
Soon after, Troyer contacted Mobile ATCT (MOB) and asked if they were providing service to any Coast Guard helicopters. He did this because he knew that the Coast Guard has a base in MOB airspace. However, that base is used strictly for training and aircraft testing, not search and rescue. A MOB controller advised Troyer they were talking to a Coast Guard helicopter and he requested them to switch the communications to Troyer’s frequency. Troyer made contact with Hedges, explained the situation, and asked if they would voluntarily attempt to respond to the crash site. Read more.
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Southern Region Archie League Winners Podcast |
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Hear Troyer and Hedges tell their story, and discuss their efforts to make this rescue mission a success, in the latest episode of the NATCA Podcast. Listen here.
View transcript of the podcast here.
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Region X Member Al Arcese to Receive Commitment to Safety Award |
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The Region X Commitment to Safety Award is given annually to a Region X member who has shown a profound dedication to ensuring the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS). The award is peer-nominated, and any Region X member in good standing can be nominated for work done in their role as an aviation safety professional.
NATCA congratulates the 2020 recipient: Engineer/New England Region (ENE) member Al Arcese. He is a Civil Engineer/Project Execution Lead in the Boston Navigation & Landing Aids Engineering group and is the NATCA Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP)-X Event Review Committee (ERC) representative. Arcese’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) career spans more than 31 years, and he became a member of NATCA immediately upon being eligible to join in 1997, when the Union proudly welcomed the Engineers and Architects bargaining unit into the NATCA family.
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"Al Arcese is a true professional that is the face of the ATSAP-X program" said ENE member and Alternate Regional Vice President Bob Aitken, who nominated Arcese. "His dedication as an experienced NavAids Engineer, a commercial rated pilot, and flight instructor comes through every day. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award."
"It is rare to find the complete package of a true aviation safety professional," added Region X Vice President Brad Davidson. "Al is extremely knowledgeable, hard working, dedicated, an excellent communicator, and brings a wide variety of personal and professional experience to the benefit of both the FAA and NATCA. Al's role as our lead for the ATSAP-X program is just a demonstration of his commitment to safety."
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"I am incredibly humbled and surprised to receive this award," said Arcese. "I am grateful to NATCA for all the hard work done for its members and for aviation safety. I have always felt very strongly about organized labor and was thrilled when we were allowed to join. I have actually been both a member of NATCA and ALPA concurrently.
"As a former airline pilot, and currently an active charter, Chief Pilot and Flight Instructor, aviation safety has always been incredibly important to me. I was honored when I was asked to play a part in initiating the Voluntary Safety Reporting Program for Region X. I commend NATCA for recognizing the hard work and safety contributions that our Region X members make to the NAS, and for giving them a voice and a process for elevating their safety concerns. I thank all of the other ERCs and all of NATCA’s many safety programs for welcoming and working with Region X and for their support. I feel very strongly about promoting a collaborative culture within the FAA, and I have seen firsthand how this positive culture benefits the flying public. I have been very lucky to have a supportive family and friends throughout my career, and thank them as well."
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NATCA plans to honor the Region X Commitment to Safety award winner at the 16th annual Archie League Medal of Safety Awards banquet on May 26, 2021, at NATCA’s 18th Biennial Convention in Houston. To view previous winners of this award, please click here.
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NATCA Mourns the Loss of TMB Member Melchisedeck Fontilus |
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Tamiami-Miami Executive ATCT (TMB) members Melchisedeck Fontilus and Marco Colon were best friends since Fontilus’s arrival at TMB in 2018. Two months ago, they bought a boat together and spent much of their free time on the water in South Florida.
But on Monday, Oct. 12, in a tragic accident near Haulover Beach between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fontilus got caught in a strong current while standing on a sandbar. Colon, who was on the boat nearby, jumped in to try and save Fontilus, but both men were pulled under water. They were rescued and taken to a hospital, but Fontilus passed away. Colon survived and is recovering.
Fontilus, who went by “Mel,” was 27. The NATCA family joins our brothers and sisters at TMB in mourning his passing.
“He had a big smile and was always laughing,” TMB FacRep Nick Lindenbaum said. “He could light up a room. That’s who he was. Just a great guy and an all-around great person.”
Fontilus began his career in 2014 at Huntsville ATCT (HSV) before transferring to Poughkeepsie ATCT (POU) in 2016. He was from Haiti and came to the United States as a child. His first name comes from the Bible. Lindenbaum said Fontilus enjoyed working out at the gym and was in peak physical condition. He also was a fan of NFL football – the New England Patriots in particular – and basketball legend Kobe Bryant, for whom he named his fantasy football team.
TMB is a strong NATCA local chapter, with 19 members. It is a 100% NATCA facility. Fontilus also served as its local vice president.
“Mel was a fantastic young man with a bright future,” said TMB member Luis Riverol. “He always had a smile on his face and an encouraging word for you. He took his job seriously and excelled at it. Mel truly was loved by all. I never heard anyone speak unkindly about him. He will be greatly missed.”
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Unum: The Insurance That Will Help You When You Need It Most |
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Having insurance grants peace of mind when the unexpected happens. The NATCA group long-term disability (LTD) program from Unum is the insurance that provides protection and peace of mind in the event you lose your medical or are disabled. El Paso ATCT (ELP) member Crystal Lingle encourages all NATCA members to sign up for Unum during this open enrollment season:
“I signed up for Unum about five years ago when the healthiest guy in my facility ended up losing his medical clearance. I never thought I would actually need it but the peace of mind it provided me over the years was priceless. I ended up losing my medical for mental health reasons and admin duty was just making it worse. Luckily, I had signed up for Unum back in the day. It's been my saving grace. I can get healthy on my own terms now thanks to Unum. Unum really came through for me and I'm forever grateful.”
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Unum Prize Drawing Winners at FS4 and DCA |
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Each week, NATCA holds a prize drawing from the members who have signed up for the Unum long-term disability insurance. This week, we would like to congratulate Flight Service Station (FS4) member Brian Peters and Washington National ATCT (DCA) member Richard Tabler.
Congratulations Brian and Richard. Thank you for supporting and participating in this important NATCA benefit. Members not enrolled should sign up today to participate and be entered into upcoming drawings.
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Operation Traffic Counts Across the U.S. |
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National Office Staff Employee Spotlight: Kendal Manson |
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We have an amazing National Office staff working each day to provide our members with the very best service and representation in organized labor. In this issue of the Insider, we feature Senior Labor Relations Administrator Kendal Manson, who is celebrating 20 years of service to NATCA this month. Thank you Kendal!
Where are you from or what places have you lived?
Manson: I was born and raised in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia), specifically Prince George's County, Md. I’ve also lived in what is now Elon, North Carolina, but the state of Maryland has and will always be home for me and my family.
Where did you go to school or what other education do you have?
Manson: I graduated with my bachelor’s from Elon University in Elon, North Carolina, and then received my master’s at Trinity University in Washington, D.C. I also have a paralegal certificate from the Paralegal Institute of Washington, D.C.
How did you come to work at NATCA?
Manson: I was fresh out of college, looking for a job as all recent graduates do. I saw an ad in the Washington Post for a position at NATCA and applied. To this day, I remember my interview so clearly because I was so nervous that I knocked a glass bowl off of the director’s desk when I reached to shake her hand. I thought I totally blew it, but here I am 20 years later!
Do you have family members who are involved in unions?
Manson: My father was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and was a police officer for over 30 years. He instilled in me and stressed the importance of standing up for myself and for those who didn’t have a voice. He’s lived through segregation and Jim Crow, when many Americans didn’t have a voice, so I’ve always known how instrumental solidarity and unions are for the working class.
What's the most rewarding part of being a member of NATCA’s staff? What's the most challenging?
Manson: The most rewarding is knowing our hard work is helping to make the members’ working lives better. The most challenging is knowing that the work of the Union is never done. We knock down one hurdle only for another to rise. That’s OK though because NATCA has proven time and time again that it is unstoppable
Has there been a favorite moment for you while at NATCA?
Manson: That has to be when the staff was invited to attend the 2016 Convention in San Diego. It was my first time attending and it was a fantastic feeling to see the NATCA membership come together from all over the country. I could feel the energy throughout the entire event! Everyone should experience the solidarity and excitement of a NATCA convention. It was awesome!
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NATCA Academy Virtual Learning |
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Building on the success of classes in its first four months, organizers of the NATCA Academy have announced a new schedule of classes for virtual learning through the end of November. We hope that you will take this opportunity to learn more about your Union, your rights, and how you can become more active in the areas that interest you.
Below is the schedule of upcoming classes in the next few days. Register today.
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Union Members Feature: OPEIU |
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We continue to highlight our union sisters and brothers who are also essential workers during the COVID-19 national emergency. Today we thank our union siblings of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU).
OPEIU was chartered in 1945 and with more than 104,000 members (representing 110,000 employees), it’s one of the larger unions of the AFL-CIO. OPEIU has locals in every state, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The union also represents more than 14,000 nurses and healthcare professionals, and continues to push for measures that protect the health of those working on the front lines of our healthcare system. This year, OPEIU is proud to celebrate 75 years of fighting for economic justice.
Learn more about what OPEIU is doing to for its members and essential workers during these trying times.
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Aviation Labor News
CBS NEWS: "Sudden and unexpected": Airline furloughs could deal blow to more than 10 million Americans the industry supports - Tens of thousands of airline workers are out of the job as the U.S. government's $25 billion payroll support program expires along with a ban on airline job cuts. While there is still a chance for new federal aid, the cuts could already be negatively impacting the industry, along with the 10.4 million Americans whose jobs are also supported by commercial aviation.
"It's really hard. I love my job. The thought of losing it, it's really hard right now," United flight attendant Annette Hala told CBS News' Kris Van Cleave. "I can't really imagine not having a paycheck, and health insurance is really big."
Hala is one of about 45,000 airline employees who were subject to layoffs or furloughs starting October 1.
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TRANSPORTATION TODAY: Bipartisan bill strengthening FAA certification process builds support, heads to House floor - A bipartisan bill that would strengthen the FAA certification process and improve the regulatory process is garnering more support as it heads to the House floor for a vote.
The bill, H.R. 8408 or the “Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act,” was introduced last week by U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), the chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; Sam Graves (R-MO), that committee’s ranking member; Rick Larsen (D-WA), the chair of the Aviation Subcommittee; and Garret Graves (R-LA), the ranking member of the subcommittee.
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AXIOS: Pilots union president on the future of airlines - U.S. airlines have begun furloughing or laying off tens of thousands of employees, including pilots, after Congress failed to pass a new bailout bill that is supported by members of both parties and the White House.
Axios Re:Cap digs into the current state of play and why it could be very tough for airlines to "unscramble the egg," with Capt. Joe DePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association.
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AVIATION INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Lawmakers shift funds to preserve Aviation Trust Fund - As the U.S. Congress approved a stopgap bill to extend funding for government agencies, including the FAA, through December 11, lawmakers took an unusual step of moving $14 billion out of the federal treasury general funds into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. The funding will help keep the trust fund liquid as it was in danger of depletion as an unintended consequence of the CARES Act and the ongoing dampened travel in general from the Covid-19 crisis.
The CARES Act gave an exemption through the end of the year from taxes on commercial air transportation, including those on passenger tickets, cargo, and fuel. While the fuel excise taxes remained in place for general aviation, it is a small contribution into the trust fund and the majority of revenue came from passenger ticket and cargo taxes.
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ITC Tech Tip: Adding NATCA Emails to Your Primary Tab in Gmail |
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If you are a Gmail user, to increase the likelihood that you will get news and updates in your email from our Union, NATCA's IT Committee recommends that you do the following. In Gmail, your inbox is separated into four general categories: primary, promotions, social, and updates. The primary tab is reserved for direct communication between you and your contacts. Promotions is where communications from large services will generally appear. NATCA uses Constant Contact for email communication with its members, so NATCA mail will arrive in the promotions tab of your gmail inbox. Social is reserved for social media traffic, and the updates tab is meant to capture communication from services you use like online banking. Each tab is still a part of your inbox, but Gmail tries to clean things up for you by categorizing the large volume of mail you might receive.
If you want to make NATCA email messages show up in your primary tab, you can simply click and drag the message to the primary tab. Then click “yes” on the pop up in the bottom right. View the graphic below for assistance.
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Have other IT questions? Email the IT Committee to submit a request for help.
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New Shirt Honors NATCA Military Veterans and Supports NCF and Lone Survivor Foundation |
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With Veterans Day coming up, NATCA is offering a new T-shirt to honor members of our Union who are military veterans and support both the NATCA Charitable Foundation (NCF) and the Lone Survivor Foundation (LSF). |
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LSF was founded in 2010 by Marcus Luttrell, the only survivor of a 2005 Navy SEALs mission in Afghanistan. Luttrell’s Texas ranch was the center of his post-combat recovery. He wanted other military families to have the opportunity to step out of their daily routines and come to a place of peace; a place where they could obtain tools for healing while being surrounded by other people who understand them. LSF provides that opportunity while honoring the warriors that gave their lives in service to our country. LSF restores, empowers, and renews hope for wounded service members, veterans and their families through health, wellness, and therapeutic support. |
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LSF is one of the four charities that NATCA and NCF are spotlighting as part of the 18th Biennial Convention in Houston, May 25-27, 2021. Convention Committee member Lee Moore from Houston TRACON (I90), an Air Force veteran, stated, “The committee wanted to highlight Lone Survivor because it’s a local charity that helps veterans with PTSD. A large percentage of NATCA members are veterans, including 80 percent of the members at my facility. A majority of that 80 percent have been deployed. There’s a special connection of knowing what it’s like to be deployed and the potential mental fatigue and PTSD that goes with that. Lone Survivor stands out as an organization that we have more of a sentimental connection to, because a lot of us have been in those shoes.” |
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The shirt comes in both unisex and women’s sizes. The women’s shirt is a V-neck. Both shirts are USA-made and union printed. The $30 price includes shipping and handling. If you order by Oct. 22, barring extraordinary postal delays, we expect you’ll receive your shirt by Veterans Day on Nov. 11, via USPS First Class mail. We will continue to take orders for the shirts through Veterans Day. Order your shirt from the NATCA store: unisex shirt | women's shirt.
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Tom Morello Supports the NATCA Charitable Foundation's 25 for 25 Campaign |
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Meet Tom Morello our honorary NATCA brother and union activist. Tom is the lead guitarist for Rage Against the Machine and former lead guitarist for Audioslave. Rolling Stone magazine ranks him amongst the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." Tom is a supporter of the working class and Labor. He performed his album, The Nightwatchman, which supports Labor and Unions, at the 2012 NATCA Biennial Convention in Denver.
We are so very proud and honored that our brother is speaking out to support NATCA, the NATCA Charitable Foundation (NCF), and suicide prevention. Please watch the video as Tom calls on us to support one another, NCF, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To support the NCF's 25 for 25 Pushup Challenge please click here.
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NATCA in Washington 2021 Date Change |
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Every year, NATCA hosts its NATCA in Washington legislative conference where activists meet with members of Congress to further our relationships and educate those Congressional members and their staff on issues that are important to our Union.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel the 2020 conference and postpone 2021 conference. NATCA in Washington 2021 is now planned for Oct. 4-6 at the Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C. Attendees can expect to fly in on Oct. 3 and leave Oct. 6.
We hope you can participate as we welcome back the NATCA majority and begin developing relationships with the freshmen members of Congress. Registration information will be released approximately June 2021.
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Retirement Webinars Scheduled through December |
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Upcoming retirement seminars have been merged and reformatted to be webinars due to the COVID-19 national emergency. They are open to any member nationwide. The upcoming webinars are as follows:
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October 28: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. PDT
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November 2: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. CDT
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November 19: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. EDT
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December 7: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. EDT
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December 29: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. CDT
IMPORTANT: If you had previously signed up for these seminars and are unable to attend virtually, please consider canceling your reservation as space is limited for virtual classes as well.
To register for both the seminars and the webinars: use the NATCA Portal, portal.natca.org. Click on the “events” tab in the main menu at the top of the screen.
For questions or any problems with registration, please contact Lisa Head at the National Office: 202-628-5451 or [email protected].
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Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) MOU
On May 8, NATCA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding Human Resource Policy Manual (HRPM) Policy Bulletin 115, Paid Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Policy Bulletin 115 and the MOU specifically address the FAA’s implementation of FFCRA, which was signed into law on March 18. FFCRA provides expanded paid leave options for NATCA bargaining unit employees (BUEs) who have been affected by COVID-19. FFCRA provides two forms of paid leave: Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which can be utilized for the employee’s own health needs or to care for family members.
Emergency Paid Sick Leave quick reference guide here.
Expanded FMLA Leave quick reference guide here.
FFCRA Frequently Asked Questions can be viewed here.
Download the full MOU here.
Download only the FFCRA leave request form attachment here.
Comparison of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded FMLA Leave here.
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