Region X Monthly Update | February 2022
| Message from Our Region X RVP, Things are a changing. 30-Day Notice for the ending of a Maximum Telework Posture and Re-opening of the offices: NATCA, as well as each individual bargaining unit employee (BUE), has been given notice of the updated Phase-3, post COVID-19 work schedule where the maximum telework posture will end. While we continue to engage with the agency on potential new telework policies and the linked items that go along with any changes, such as office space, technology, locality pay, etc. As of today, we will continue to follow the policies memorialized within our Collective Bargaining Agreements. Please work with your local representatives with any questions on work schedules, telework agreements, and other items associated with a return to a more traditional work arrangement with the agency. NATCA fully expects a more robust telework arrangement for our members who choose to elect substantial telework post the pandemic arrangements we have been on for the past two years. While we continue to discuss and work towards a suite of connected policies associated with our work/life balance, I do not have any specifics to report on yet. If there are any changes or updates to our currently agreed upon content of our CBA articles, we will immediately communicate that with all of you. From a realistic standpoint, I believe if we are to reach an agreement(s) they will occur after the maximum telework posture is formally over with the reopening of the office spaces. Updated Mask Policies and Gating Criteria as well as agency planned testing program: NATCA has been actively involved with modifying existing MOUs throughout the pandemic to reflect current conditions and evolving CDC guidance. While most of our Region X members have had limited to no impacts associated with the mask policies throughout the pandemic due to the maximum telework posture, as we return to the office space we will all be subject to the mask policies that will be in effect and subject to change. Effective March 4, 2022, the Agency is implementing new mask guidance to align with the Safer Federal Workforce Taskforce and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations. NATCA and the FAA (“the Parties”) have reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the implementation of this new guidance. The guidance relies on CDC COVID-19 Community Levels, which measure the impact of COVID-19 illness on health and healthcare systems. Below is a summary of the recently updated MOU regarding the current mask policy: Using the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels by County tracker, the Parties at the national level will develop a weekly spreadsheet to identify the COVID-19 Community Level for the county in which each FAA owned, leased, and operated office or facility is located. Mask requirements for each facility are based on the COVID-19 Community Levels and are as follows: • Low or Medium Community Levels: Employees are not required to wear a mask in public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status. • High Community Levels: All employees are required to wear a mask in public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status. After the initial classification, each facility will be reviewed weekly, and the required CDC and the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force mask guidance will be adjusted to conform with the new classification, if necessary. Testing requirements for unvaccinated employees will also be based upon the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels. We are in the process of negotiating with the FAA regarding those procedures for NATCA BUEs. NATCA In Washington: On March 28 and 29th our NATCAvists will be converging once again to Washington DC to participate in one of the most important and influential activities our union takes on – Legislative Activism. Our attendance, at this year’s event was capped and I am both proud of and look forward to joining our 21 Region X approved volunteer participants from all across the country and from every one of our locals. Recent and Planned New Hiring agency wide: One of the areas that a return to the office setting, even in a reduced capacity as compared to pre-COVID-19, will improve for all of us, is peer to peer interactions and getting to know our newer hires. Many of us have never met some of our peers face-to-face within each line of business, let alone crossing over to other lines of business. This is an exciting time to get to know one another again. I look forward to meeting many of you for the first time after the offices are open and we will schedule many solidarity events across the nation. As a result of the planned infrastructure spending we will have some significant hiring within the E&A and ARP units. As the new hires come on board lets have NATCA members be the ones that welcome them with open arms and help then through the transition into the FAA and for many into their first professional positions. In Solidarity, Brad Region X RVP NATCA Region X Contact Information Region X National Leadership Brad Davidson Regional Vice President Bob Aitken Alternate Regional Vice President Ed Szczuka Alternate Regional Vice President Curt Howe Alternate Regional Vice President Gwendolyn Kimbrough AFN National Representative Felicia Reeves Airports National Representative Patrick Massie Aircraft Certification National Representative Pam Rusk AIT National Representative Stacie Wooten Drug Abatement National Representative Region X National Committee Representatives Don Schmeichel – National Safety Committee Ingrid Knox – National Safety Committee Mike Martin – National Constitution Committee Anthony Barksdale – National Organizing Committee Jefferson MacDonald – National Organizing Committee Homer Benavides – National OSHA Committee Quang Nguyen – National Benefits Committee Della Swartz – National Historical Committee Jason Holland – National Legislative Committee Dawn Forde – National Legislative Committee Ricky Hidalgo – National Drug & Alcohol Committee Corey Glaze – National Pay Team & Collaboration Facilitator Ed Szczuka – Finance Committee, Onboarding Pam Rusk – IT and Regional Communications Thom Twitchell – National OWCP Committee Brittan Smith – Union Synergy Committee Vacant – National Reloaded Committee |
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