Friday, April 07, 2006
Game, Set...
As we mentioned before, it’s contract negotiation time for the union that represents air traffic controllers in centers and towers (NATCA). We made our thoughts known long ago (“The Archaic Playbook”, 12/1/05 and “Mr. Carr Gets a Blog”, 12/11/05) and haven’t seen reason to reassess.
Suffice it to say that NATCA President Mr. Carr has gone weepy lately, crying crocodile tears over the fact the FAA has left the bargaining table and gone to Congress. As presently written, the law gives Congress 60 days to respond to the FAA/NATCA impasse. Otherwise, the FAA gets what it wants.
Now we are no fan of this particular set of rules, being the victim of same. But likewise, pardon us if we don’t cry in our beer over the fortunes of NATCA, instead rejoining with a round of “We told you so.” Let us go so far to as to say that NATCA is at least partly responsible for the position they find themselves in now.
On 12/11/05, we stated that “A ‘firewall’ for NATCA was available during that A-76 'study', but they chose to ignore it. Mr. Carr doesn’t seem to have a very far or wide tactical vision.” Our point was that NATCA could have short circuited the FAAs negotiating methodology by taking the side of Flight Service during those earlier contract negotiations, out-sourcing study (A-76), the efforts to keep the FAA honest and the service in-house during the contract contest period and beyond. It’s not like they weren’t asked, but apparently Flight Service was beneath their station.
Yes, yes, it can be said that NATCA wasn’t in the business of representing AFSS controllers. But then there’s that “tactical vision” thing. If Mr. Carr had any foresight, he would have served his membership best by watching, learning, and derailing FAA methodology while he had the chance. Instead, the Blakey Cannonball gained momentum and is now in the process of rolling over NATCA. The membership would be correct in demanding some answers of Mr. Carr as to why he didn’t take action to stop or at least slow this juggernaut while he had the chance.
Meanwhile, in the now-contracted Flight Service Stations, the general sympathy level tends to be rather low, with stated reactions along the lines of “Now they know what it's like,” and other less charitable observations.
Suffice it to say that NATCA President Mr. Carr has gone weepy lately, crying crocodile tears over the fact the FAA has left the bargaining table and gone to Congress. As presently written, the law gives Congress 60 days to respond to the FAA/NATCA impasse. Otherwise, the FAA gets what it wants.
Now we are no fan of this particular set of rules, being the victim of same. But likewise, pardon us if we don’t cry in our beer over the fortunes of NATCA, instead rejoining with a round of “We told you so.” Let us go so far to as to say that NATCA is at least partly responsible for the position they find themselves in now.
On 12/11/05, we stated that “A ‘firewall’ for NATCA was available during that A-76 'study', but they chose to ignore it. Mr. Carr doesn’t seem to have a very far or wide tactical vision.” Our point was that NATCA could have short circuited the FAAs negotiating methodology by taking the side of Flight Service during those earlier contract negotiations, out-sourcing study (A-76), the efforts to keep the FAA honest and the service in-house during the contract contest period and beyond. It’s not like they weren’t asked, but apparently Flight Service was beneath their station.
Yes, yes, it can be said that NATCA wasn’t in the business of representing AFSS controllers. But then there’s that “tactical vision” thing. If Mr. Carr had any foresight, he would have served his membership best by watching, learning, and derailing FAA methodology while he had the chance. Instead, the Blakey Cannonball gained momentum and is now in the process of rolling over NATCA. The membership would be correct in demanding some answers of Mr. Carr as to why he didn’t take action to stop or at least slow this juggernaut while he had the chance.
Meanwhile, in the now-contracted Flight Service Stations, the general sympathy level tends to be rather low, with stated reactions along the lines of “Now they know what it's like,” and other less charitable observations.
# posted by Skywise @ 8:35 PM 
Comments:
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Mr. Carr needs a reality and an ego check. He has blown off helping FSS in the recent past. Now he is suprised NATCA is in this fight? Come on. If he spent 1/2 the time heading this FAA steamroller off when FSS was getting run over as he does "waxing poetically" to the lemmings he leads, right now he would sitting back deciding what color the new contract book would be. Right now the color looks like mud. A nice, chocolate hue of brown, with a few splashes of egg yoke yellow around the edges. I have been pro-union since I was in diapers, but in this debacle, I think I'll sit this one out. I'll wait for the FAA to announce that they have hired Grant Thorton, to do "just a study" on ATC. NATCA needs people...??? I know where they can get about 500 of them, all ready past the security check, the FAA physical, airplanes 101 and can actually read and understand a NAS NOTAM, (unlike some of the ATCs I have spoken to recently). NATCA....don't worry.....TSA needs some screeners, and no union to muck things up.
I'll make the popcorn, you get the cool-aid.
I'll make the popcorn, you get the cool-aid.
# posted by 
: 9:43 PM
: 9:43 PM
How do several of the former FAA bigwigs, that work for washington consulting group, get away with it? They sit in LM positions but are paid by wcg. This is certainly a violation of the spirit of the ethics rules, if not outright criminal activity.
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# posted by : 10:36 AM
: 10:36 AM << Home
