Region X Monthly Update | March 2022
| Message from Our Region X RVP, Welcome to a spring full of hope, solidarity, commitment, and activism. What has seemed at times like an eternity with the COVID-19 pandemic now has many of us feeling like it was short lived, and we cannot believe it is potentially coming to a conclusion. There has been an ever increasing longing to return to some type of normal working environment. I would offer that we will never quite have a prior to pandemic normal with the losses we have experienced across the country over the last two years and as a society we are different now in 2022 than we were in 2019 on a wide variety of issues. However, in relation to our professions, we have learned how to work differently, and I will argue more efficiently and more appropriately in many instances while recognizing the challenges of not seeing one another in person and the benefits that our social interactions have on our work and professions. We will find the right balance between in-person tasks and remote work tasks for all of us with the FAA moving forward. Thank you for all of your hard work over the last two years and keep an open mind on what the future may bring as we move towards a post COVID-19 new normal. Ending of the maximum telework posture – Please work with your managers on your work schedules and telework agreements. The conclusion of the maximum telework posture for our Region X BUEs will be in a three phased approach of April 11, 18, and 25th. Right now we are following what is in our CBAs with the 2006 and 2010 telework policies and the associated telework agreement forms contained within. If your manager refers to waiting for a new telework policy – as of today, a new policy does not exist that applies to us or our CBAs. At the national level we have received briefings from the agency on a number of new policies they have proposed to implement. One of the policies is an update to a telework program that includes remote work and other telework options in WLB-12.3. There are many areas of the policy that, in concept, we feel would be a benefit and several areas we are not supportive of when we compare the WLB-12.3 to our existing CBA’s telework policies. We have consolidated reviews on WLB-12.3 from our NATCA representatives from across the country from each of the LOBs. We have prepared and sent to the agency an initial proposal. When I have information to share on the progress, challenges, or conclusion of these negotiations I will do so. NATCA Back to in-person Business – Last week, we had an extremely successful NATCA In Washington (NIW) event with many visits to the hill to re-establish in-person relationships with congress. Region X had a strong, energized, and motivated group attend this year (see photo) and everyone made a difference both internally within NATCA within our respective geographical regions arm in arm with our air traffic brothers and sisters and on the hill. 2022 Region X Legislative NIW Activists  Pictured, left to right: Legislative Rep Jason Holland, E&A Strategic Rep Dan O’Shaughnessy, Regional Safety Rep Don Smith, E&A Navigation Engineer Robin Oxenford, Staff Specialist Rep Anthony Goodwin, AIR Administrative Assistant Dominique Piper, Alt RVP Edward Szczuka, AIR National Safety Rep Ingrid Knox, Synergy Rep Brittan Smith, National ARP Rep Felicia Reeves, E&A Field Engineer Anthony Barksdale, Detroit ADO Rep Evonne McBurrows, E&A Engineer Dong Lee, E&A National Safety Rep Don Schmeichel, Legislative Rep Dawn Forde, Alt RVP Bob Aitken, and RVP Brad Davidison.Thank you for all that participated and I encourage each of you to reach out to your locals and share the experience to encourage others to get involved next year and even at the local level. Educating and influencing congress is one of, if not, the most important things we do as a collective. In Solidarity, Brad Region X RVP Things are a changing. 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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