LR Corner
Thursday, October 14, 2010


NATCA Gets Two-Day Suspension Reduced to LOR

NATCA settled a case involving a two-day suspension. The employee received a suspension for allegedly violating a briefing stating that personal electronics equipment was not allowed in the tower cab. The union filed a grievance, arguing that the alleged policy was not clearly articulated nor put in writing, and that the employee’s transgression, if any, was minor. Through negotiations with the agency, the suspension was reduced to a written warning and will be removed from the employee’s file six months earlier than usual. 


NATCA Resolves Grievance Involving Forced Reassignment and Improper Travel Compensation

NATCA settled a case involving the forced reassignment of an employee without negotiation and the failure to pay the appropriate travel compensation for the employee. The employee had been reassigned from one facility to another and his travel vouchers denied for over a year. This reassignment also resulted in a higher tax rate for the employee. NATCA alleged a failure to bargain over the change and a failure to follow travel policy. Through negotiations with the agency, NATCA obtained a rescission of the reassignment, including a re-calculation of tax withholdings and an agreement that the agency would pay the employee for over a year of vouchers that had previously been denied. 


NATCA Gets AIR Bargaining Unit Clarified to Include Some Senior Engineers

On September 20, 2010, the Federal Labor Relations Authority issued a Decision and Order in a clarification petition filed by NATCA regarding senior engineers in the AIR bargaining unit. NATCA filed a petition to clarify certain positions as non-supervisory and clean up the AIR certification which had obsolete organizations in its language. NATCA attempted to negotiate a settlement with the agency prior to hearing but was rebuffed. The agency and NATCA litigated the case for three days in Los Angeles in July 2010. After this litigation, the agency entered into negotiations with NATCA regarding the positions. Through negotiations with the agency, NATCA obtained a stipulation placing five senior engineers into the bargaining unit who had not previously been NATCA-represented. The FLRA recognized the stipulation creating new bargaining unit positions, and also issued a Decision and Order clarifying the language of the AIR unit to reflect the current FAA organizational structure.