A Look Inside: The life of a NATCA contract team member
As NATCA and the FAA negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, members of NATCA’s contract negotiation team sacrifice much to serve their brothers and sisters in the union’s time of need.
For Ray Gibbons, facility representative at Chicago TRACON, time away from family during contract negotiations presents difficulties. Contract team members typically spend three weeks traveling each month to negotiate with FAA representatives in various cities. “Being away from the family is difficult, but they understand the importance of what we’re doing,” Gibbons said. “The hours are long and the work is often tedious, but the team NATCA has assembled makes it easier. I don’t find the actual negotiations too stressful, but it can be hard to maintain a positive outlook negotiating with representatives of a hostile agency.”
With the FAA attacking controller salaries and work ethic in an unsuccessful attempt to influence public opinion, Gibbons sees the team’s role as vital to NATCA’s future. “These negotiations are arguably the most pivotal in NATCA’s history,” he remarked. “Given the agenda of this administration, we must protect our current and future workforce. With the team we have, I am confident we will produce a solid collective bargaining agreement that will serve the needs of the membership.”
Albuquerque Center Controller Don Hill has spent the past several years actively engaged in NATCA issues. Being selected to the contract team at a pivotal time in the union’s history has great meaning for him. “It’s by far the biggest honor bestowed on me as a union guy,” Hill said. “This team is packed with brilliant, experienced and passionate people who simply won’t accept failure and don’t mind sacrifice. We take issues and examine them inside and out to represent our members in the most effective way possible.”
Members of the contract team don’t just spend much of their life on the road; the negotiations often consume their days and nights. “We usually start at 8 a.m. and do an hour and a half of preparatory work before meeting with the agency until 5 p.m.,” Hill commented. “Afterwards, our team meets again, many nights until 10 p.m., reviewing the day’s proposals and preparing for the next session.”
NATCA’s Policy Counsel Eugene Freedman felt honored when NATCA President John Carr selected him for the contract team, but was also a bit apprehensive. “I knew participation would entail long hours and adversity, particularly negotiating with an agency that despises NATCA,” Freedman explained. “On the other hand, I was certain I could bring a different perspective to the proceedings, and the importance of this process made my decision to participate a simple one.”
NATCA’s Chief of Staff Adell Humphreys, another member of the contract team, feels upbeat despite the difficult road ahead. “This team has incredible camaraderie and, despite the obstacles we face, we’re confident we will succeed on behalf of the members we represent,” she said.
