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FAA REAUTHORIZATION & GOVERNMENT FUNDING UPDATE, THANKS TO NATCA LEGISLATIVE ACTIVISTS
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After a September of Successful NATCA Lobby Weeks, Senate is Poised This Week to Finish Job of FAA Bill
We can't say enough about the dedication and hard work of the more than 60 NATCA legislative activists who traveled to Washington, D.C., on their own time for a pair of special lobby weeks to represent our Union on Capitol Hill during the first two weeks of September. They had two very important asks during meetings with nearly all 535 congressional offices: pass a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill and prevent a government shutdown by September 30.
As we communicated to you last Wednesday, the House acted on both of those matters to secure longer-term stability for the FAA. The House passed H.R. 302, the bipartisan five-year FAA reauthorization bill, and it also passed a short-term FAA authorization extension through this Sunday, Oct. 7. Last Friday, the Senate approved the extension. This sets the stage for the week ahead, as all eyes are now on the Senate to act on the five-year FAA bill.
This FAA bill has been part of the busy workload for the Senate. The Senate began consideration of the bill yesterday, with a final vote expected by Wednesday.
Fortunately, we don't have to worry about a partial government shutdown this week due to a lapse in appropriations. In addition to signing the FAA extension over the weekend, the President signed a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep several agencies, including the FAA, running through Dec. 7, which prevented a partial government shutdown.
We will continue to keep you updated.
Paul Rinaldi, NATCA President
Trish Gilbert, NATCA Executive Vice President
Pictured at top (from left to right):
Christina Lewis (Joshua Control Facility), Arizona Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema, Alternate National Legislative Committee Western Pacific Region Rep David Skarphol (Phoenix TRACON), and Shyan Lasater-Bailey (Palm Springs)
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NATCA Disaster Relief Volunteers Respond to Members in Need Following Hurricane Florence
One of the greatest traits of this Union is its ability to quickly and effectively respond to fellow members who need help. The NATCA Family stands strong on the pillars of solidarity, community service, and always having each other's back. This is especially true when natural disasters affect both the personal a
nd professional lives of our members in harm's way.
We are still witnessing the terrible damage that Hurricane Florence inflicted upon the Carolinas. Many facilities and NATCA members have been affected. However, a large number of NATCA member volunteers rushed to the scene even as flood waters continued to rise, using cars, trucks, boats, and aircraft to provide aid, supplies, hard work, and love and care for their fellow brothers and sisters. We are so proud of their efforts and so grateful for their selflessness and generosity. They represent the best qualities of our Union.
Three members, from both Wilmington ATCT (ILM), and Myrtle Beach (MYR), have catastrophic flooding damage. Mo
re than a dozen members from ILM, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (NKT), and New
Bern, N.C., Federal Contract Tower (EWN) had wind or shingle/roof damage of some sort. A
lmost all members in the region had trees down and yard debris that needed cleanup.
We activated the NATCA disaster relief fund to provide assistance to those who have needed it. But we ask you to please consider a donation to help us grow the fund. Our ability to respond further to this disaster in the Carolinas, and future disasters, is reliant on a strong and growing disaster relief fund.
How to donate:
Checks: Payable to "DRF" or "Disaster Relief Fund." Mail to:
NATCA
Attn: Accounting Department
1325 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, D.C., 20005
Automatic Payroll Deduction: NATCA members can also donate to the disaster relief fund through payroll deduction, using this form.
Pictured below (from left to right):
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (NKT) member Mark Holbrook and Washington Center (ZDC) members Mike Christine, Aaron Wilt, and Chris Perkins
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NATCA Creates Disaster Response Committee (DRC)
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Your National Executive Board, during our meeting last week in Charleston, S.C., approved the creation of the NATCA Disaster Response Committee (DRC). Committee members will coordinate preparation and response of the assets and volunteers in an emergency, natural or man-made. Each committee member will have responsibilities including (but not limited to):
· marketing of the NATCA disaster relief fund;
· education and programming;
· social media updates;
· coordination with regional and local contacts;
· acquisition of equipment and supplies;
· coordination of emergency response affecting NATCA members;
· development of comprehensive emergency response plan;
· other duties as determined by the committee.
NATCA DRC members will work as a team to coordinate the mitigation, preparation, recovery and response of all emergency events.
We are soliciting volunteers for the DRC through COB on Oct. 15. To volunteer please click
here
.
Tom Flanary is the DRC c
hairman. For any questions, please contact Tom at
[email protected].
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Hero Indonesian Controller Dies During Earthquake While Working to Ensure Safety of Departing Aircraft
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Indonesia was struck by another earthquake last Friday, Sept. 28. Our thoughts go out to the many victims of this disaster, their family, and their friends. We are especially saddened to learn of the loss of one of our air traffic control colleagues, Anthonius Gunawan Agung.
NATCA joins with the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA) Executive Board and all IFATCA members in extending our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
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We are excited that Communicating For Safety, which has moved from the spring to the fall on the NATCA schedule, begins three weeks from today!
Our three-day conference, one of the premier aviation events in the world that focuses on safety issues, will be held at Bally's Las Vegas. We've got a packed lineup of panels, speakers, discussions, breakouts, and interaction with our many sponsors and exhibitors. We'll close the conference on the evening of Oct. 24 with the 14th annual Archie League Medal of Safety Awards.
A video live stream of most sessions from the event will be a
a
vailable at natca.org/cfs beginning at noon PDT on Monday, Oct. 22. The
Archie League Awards on Oct. 24 will also be live streamed on natca.org/cfs beginning at 8 p.m. PDT.
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The Global Air Traffic Controllers Alliance: Newly Formed Coalition of Unions for Aviation Safety Pros
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The Global Air Traffic Controllers Alliance, "The Alliance" for short, recently hosted its inaugural meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Alliance was founded by a coalition of labor unions representing aviation safety professionals from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States to speak with a collective voice on a range of subjects that have a common effect on the profession and the professionals they represent.
At its inaugural meeting, The Alliance set goals, worked on determining structure, governance and future membership, and elected its first leaders.
Paul Winstanley, Prospect ATCO's Branch Chair and ITF ATS Chair from the United Kingdom, was elected as the Alliance's first president for a two-year term. Jeremy Thompson, International Liaison Officer and member of the Air Traffic Control Council for NZALPA in New Zealand, was elected as vice president, will also serve a two-year term.
Recognizing that air traffic management is a global industry, the member unions of The Alliance work together to meet individual and shared challenges and raise important issues to a global audience while developing and cultivating global relationships.
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HATCH ACT WARNING: Do not distribute, display, or post the information found in this section in a federal facility. Please do not view this information in a federal facility, using a federal government-owned computer, or on work time.
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Your greatest opportunity to influence our political system is to vote. Election Day 2018 is Tuesday, November 6.
If you haven't voted before or recently moved, now is the time to register. The earliest registration deadlines are coming up. Voting rules and deadlines vary by state, so check on yours today here.
If you're getting ready to vote for the first time, this short video can help. It describes the basic requirements for voting in the U.S. and explains why it's important to know your state's specific rules for voting.
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NATCA Retirement Seminars
NATCA has arranged retirement seminars for its members by 4 Square Financial Literacy Partners, Inc.
Each location will host one Advanced Career seminar for members with more than 15 years of service and one Career Optimization and Retirement Education (C.O.R.E.) seminar for members in the first 15 years of their career. These are the seminars that currently are scheduled in the next two months (times are local):
Tuesday, Oct. 9, 3 p.m.
Anchorage, Advanced Career Retirement Seminar
Where: The Hilton Garden Inn, 4555 Union Square Dr., Anchorage.
Wednesday, Oct. 10, 9 a.m.
Anchorage, CORE Seminar for Early Career Members
Where: The Hilton Garden Inn, 4555 Union Square Dr., Anchorage.
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m.
Palmdale, Calif., Special for Members of All Career Stages
Where: Hampton Inn & Suites Palmdale, 39428 Trade Center Dr., Palmdale, Calif.
Thursday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m.
Long Beach, Calif.,
Special for Members of All Career Stages
Where: Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport, 2640 N. Lakewood Blvd., Long Beach, Calif.
Thursday, Oct. 18, 3 p.m.
Nashua, N.H., Advanced Career Retirement Seminar
Where: Crowne Plaza/Doubletree Nashua, 2 Somerset Parkway, Nashua, N.H.
Friday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m.
Nashua, N.H., CORE Seminar for Early Career Members
Where: Crowne Plaza/Doubletree Nashua, 2 Somerset Parkway, Nashua, N.H.
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Remaining 2018 NATCA Academy Schedule
| Representative Training 1 (RT1) |
Dec. 3-7 |
Las Vegas |
| LEAP |
Oct. 15-17
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Warrenton, Va. |
| Adv. Legislative Activism (ALAT) |
Nov. 27-29 |
National HQ, D.C. |
| Secretary/Treasurer (STT) |
Dec. 4-5 |
Las Vegas |
| OSHA/OWCP |
Nov. 15-16 |
Las Vegas |
NATCA Academy Legislative Class Change
An Advanced Legislative Activism Training (ALAT) class has been added to the NATCA Academy Legislative Class schedule in 2018.
ALAT is an involved, 2 1/2-day course with guest speakers from the Office of Special Counsel, NATCA's Government Affairs Staff, and Special Counsel to NATCA's President.
NATCA Academy Courses are available for sign up on the
NATCA Membership Portal
(except for LEAP, which is by invitation only).
Once you have logged in, select "NATCA Academy" from the quick links. Then, select "2018 courses." If you need any help with registration, contact the Coordinator for your region. Registrants will be notified within 35 days from the course start date of their status for the course.
If you have any questions, please contact NATCA's Training Coordinator, Carolyn Kamara, at
[email protected].
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