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Happy Labor Day!

Brothers and Sisters,
 
On Labor Day 2018, we join all Americans in celebrating the contributions workers make to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. We celebrate the strength and solidarity of our Union, as well as the wave of collective action that is evident across the country. While organized labor and collective bargaining continue to face challenges in various states and from the administration, there are important reasons to celebrate.  
 
Recent polls show that nearly two-thirds of Americans now approve of labor unions, the highest percentage to support labor in about 15 years, and trending toward the highest support since the mid-1960s. This change in public attitude has been accompanied by some practical measures of success. There was an increase in the overall number of unionized American workers over the previous year. While Americans are used to thinking of the labor movement as getting older and smaller, it actually has been becoming younger and growing bigger. In the last year, Millennial workers have been responsible for a huge portion of the gains in union representation across the workforce. Teachers' strikes in several states have begun to reverse a decades-long effort to defund public education.
 
And this growing American labor movement recently has won some notable victories, including the recent decision by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issuing an injunction preventing the administration from implementing key provisions of the anti-labor executive orders (EO) issued on May 25, 2018. Possibly even more notable, was the recent vote where Missourians voted overwhelmingly to reject a proposed "right-to-work" law, derailing a decades-long anti-labor push.
 
Our Union has been a part of this pro-labor energy. NATCA members and NATCA Boots On The Ground activists were engaged in Missouri to campaign for this outcome. We have our largest membership ever and it has grown each of the last six years. And many of NATCA's new members are active in their local facilities, regions and nationally. Our Union also continues to grow its political influence. This year, we had a very successful NATCA in Washington lobbying event, and member support for our legislative program and the NATCA PAC continues to grow.
 
On this Labor Day, as we honor all working men and women, we should celebrate these victories, join with our union brothers and sisters from around the country in continuing to increase union influence, and commit to maintaining this pro-labor momentum leading up to the very important mid-term elections in November.  NATCA "Boots" members and other union members have reached out to fellow labor members to educate them about candidates  as well as ballot questions affecting labor in  upcoming elections. This program has been effective at getting the word out to the labor community regarding candidates' records and positions. Tom Thompson, who manages NATCA's Boots On The Ground program, shared the following article to describe their efforts.
 
Happy Labor Day!

In Solidarity,

Paul Rinaldi, NATCA President
Trish Gilbert, NATCA Executive Vice President

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Tom Thompson: This is a Great Day to Reflect on the Power of Our Collective Spirit

Brothers and Sisters,
 
Around the country, Labor Day serves as a day to honor the American worker. I was excited and proud to join NATCA Local ZID ( Indianapolis Center) and thousands of other members in my home state Saturday at Indianapolis's Indy Labor Fest, and yesterday, I was at the Labor Day Picnic hosted by the Northern Virginia Labor Federation. Today, I will walk with our brothers and sisters in the annual Milford, N.H., Labor Day Parade. But no matter how it is celebrated, Labor Day can also be a great day to reflect on what has been and what can be accomplished with the power of our collective spirit. 

NATCA's Boots On The Ground members have had the honor of experiencing this collective spirit first hand. The Boots program allows us to work full time with other union members in the AFL-CIO's Labor-to-Labor program. This has proven to be a very effective way to get the word out to the entire Labor community on the records and positions of the candidates who are running for office and ballot questions that affect labor, as well as getting out the vote. 

The Labor 2018 effort has NATCA working full time in 10 vitally important states and I am proud to report there is a noticeable surge in activism and excitement leading into this year's Election Day. There are many examples, but most recently the power of the union vote has shown itself in Virginia's 2017 Election, the Pennsylvania-18 Special Election and the defeating of right to work in Missouri to name a few. 

The number of union volunteers who make calls, knock on doors, and leaflet worksites have been reaching never-before-seen numbers in many locations. Energy is high my brothers and sisters. I urge you to get involved. Even if it's by simply researching the candidates, ensuring you're registered and getting out to vote, get involved! 
 
The union vote is truly making a very positive difference! The union brothers and sisters of the over 50 unions of the AFL-CIO know this. Our union-endorsed candidates across the country know this. We know this. Let's all do our part to join the growing number of activists out there making a difference. 

To borrow a quote from our national AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, "Let's fight for those who fight for us."
 

In Solidarity,
 
Tom Thompson
Program Manager
NATCA Boots On The Ground

Pictured above: Thompson with his grandson Lewis at last year's Indy Labor Fest.
Celebrating the Life and Career of our Brother Barry Krasner

Barry Krasner is NATCA and he will be with us forever. He is so much more than our President Emeritus, a charter and founding member, and the man for which our National Office headquarters building is named. When he passed away last month, his wishes were no funeral and no tears. He wanted a celebration of his life. Last Tuesday, at a bar and restaurant near the office, we joined with Barry's wife, Sallie (pictured above), current and former National Executive Board members, NATCA office staff, and many friends who knew and loved Barry. We remembered him the way he wanted, by sharing laughs and stories over drinks. We raised our glasses to toast this unforgettable man who has mentored so many of us.

Barry was the cornerstone of NATCA. Like any organization, house, or anything that stands for a long time, it's the cornerstone that is the first stone set and gives you the foundation for your structure. He wasn't just the cornerstone. He was the negotiator, the chairman, the parliamentarian, the organizer, the true labor fighter, the passionate labor leader, and the groundbreaking visionary of what this Union could be.

This Union, our membership, for decades to come, will feel and know Barry Krasner. We'll never forget about him. In celebrating him last week, we shared so many wonderful memories of working with Barry, talking with him, learning from him, and enjoying time with him. Barry will stay alive with us for as long as those memories live and he has left us with so many memories. His spirit at NATCA will live forever.
On Aug. 21, we attended the FAA's Safety Summit in Northern Virginia with NATCA's National Safety Committee Chairman Steve Hansen. This conference brought together aviation stakeholders to address the issue of wrong surface events. A wrong-surface event is when the pilot of an aircraft lands or departs on the wrong runway, taxiway, or the wrong airport.
 
A good, robust discussion took place and Hansen represented NATCA on one of the panels. The event emphasized the importance of collaborating to tackle a very important safety issue. The host Air Traffic Organization, along with employees in Aviation Safety and Airports, brought airspace users, regional and national airlines, airport operators, aircraft manufacturers, trade associations, labor unions, and international air navigation service providers into the room as well. Among the topics raised as important issues were airport geometry, runway markings, equipment updates, and pilot awareness.
 
NATCA and the FAA have addressed this topic together this year in several ways, including launching Surface Watch to recognize great safety work. Surface operations are critically important to our safety record, where proactive leadership, swift actions, and teamwork come together to save lives. We want to hear about these successes.
 
We are addressing top trends for surface safety events, including wrong surface landings, runway flyovers, clearing landings/takeoffs on occupied runways, and readback/hearback issues.
   
Surface Watch is a recognition program jointly sponsored by NATCA and the FAA. It acknowledges individuals and teams of controllers and supervisors for their exemplary saves and initiatives that focus on the surface environment.

Celebrate Labor Day with instant savings up to 41 percent off select award-winning Lenovo-branded laptops, 2-in-1's, gaming, and entertainment tech, through Wednesday, Sept. 5, while supplies last.  Shop now.
 
Lenovo is one of six new NATCA Benefits partners we've added in 2018. These special offers are customized for you and your needs. Shop with confidence, and enjoy great savings through the Lenovo Savings Program. Whether for work, home or gifts, you'll receive: FREE shipping on all web orders, warranty service upgrades, convenient payment options and award-winning service.
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, Sept. 11, 3 p.m.
Jacksonville, Fla., Advanced Career Retirement Seminar
Where: Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Airport/I-95N, 14670 Duval Rd, Jacksonville, Florida

Wednesday, Sept. 12, 9 a.m.
Jacksonville, Fla., CORE Seminar for Early Career Members
Where: Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Airport/I-95N, 14670 Duval Rd, Jacksonville, Florida

Tuesday, Sept. 18, 3 p.m.
Kansas City, Advanced Career Retirement Seminar
Where: The Hilton Garden Inn, 12080 S. Strang Line Rd., Olathe, Kan.

Wednesday, Sept. 19, 9 a.m.
Kansas City, CORE Seminar for Early Career Members
Where: The Hilton Garden Inn, 12080 S. Strang Line Rd., Olathe, Kan.

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.

Tuesday, Oct. 16, 3 p.m.
Boston, Advanced Career Retirement Seminar
Where: Hotel Indigo Boston-Newton Riverside, 399 Grove St., Newton, Mass.

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m.
Boston, CORE Seminar for Early Career Members
Where: Hotel Indigo Boston-Newton Riverside, 399 Grove St., Newton, Mass.

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.


2018 NATCA Academy Schedule

Representative Training 1 (RT1) Sept. 24-28 Las Vegas
Representative Training 1 (RT1) Dec. 3-7 Las Vegas
LEAP
Oct. 15-17
Warrenton, Va.
Training Review Board (TRB) Sept. 11-13 Las Vegas
Legislative Activism (LAT) Sept. 11-12 Las Vegas
Adv. Legislative Activism (ALAT) Nov. 27-29 National HQ, D.C.
Secretary/Treasurer (STT) Sept. 11-12 Las Vegas
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. The Basic Legislative Activism Training (LAT) class originally scheduled for Nov. 28-29, 2018 in Las Vegas, has been replaced with an ALAT class on Nov. 27-29, 2018 in Washington, D.C. at the NATCA National Office.  

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 ckamara@natcadc.org.
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