April 15th, 2025 NATCA New England Bi-Monthly Update

Apr 15, 2025

ARVP Update

From Jake Detwiler, NATCA New England ARVP, ZBW

Hello, NATCA New England! Happy Spring! We are just a few weeks away from our Biennial Convention on May 9-11 in San Francisco, CA. The convention is the primary opportunity for the membership to guide the direction of NATCA as an organization. NATCA is governed by bylaws contained within 3 documents: National Constitution, Standing Rules, Policy & Position Statements. A bulk of the business at Convention is the discussion, debate, and voting on proposed changes to these bylaws. Within the last few weeks, you should have received a copy of the booklet “Proposed Amendments and Resolutions” which contains 120 Amendments and Resolutions, which are proposed changes to NATCA policy and bylaws. If you misplaced the booklet, a PDF copy can be found here: https://www.natca.org/2025/03/06/natcas-20th-biennial-convention-amendment-resolution-booklet/

I encourage you to read through these proposed changes and think about how they align with your desires for NATCA to be governed and directed. There are proposals including (but not limited to) changes to: Seniority, Dues, Leadership structure, National Officers, Finances, Ratifications, etc. While NATCA New England (NNE) might be one of the smaller NATCA regions, we pull more than our weight in NATCA involvement. The 120 Amendments and Resolutions were co-authored by 286 members, with the most represented regions being NATCA-Eastern: 84 (29%), NATCA-Southern: 64 (22%), NATCA-Great Lakes: 33 (11%), and NNE: 26 (9%). The 26 NNE co-Authors represent 4.76% of our region.

Your voice at the convention is through your facility delegate(s). The number of delegates a facility is entitled to is codified in our Constitution based on your member count; in fact, there is an amendment proposed to change how this is calculated! After reviewing the proposed amendments and resolutions, please take the time to reach out and speak with your delegate(s) and communicate your positions. Your delegates represent you and the membership of your facility; empower them with your reasoning and thoughts on why to support or oppose any of the proposed changes.

Please reach out to your Delegate, NNE Leadership Team, or NNE Constitution Committee member Tim Roig with any questions.

Regional Meeting Experience

From Craig Winans, Y90 Facility Representative

For those who don’t know me, my name is Craig Winans, and I’m the FacRep at Y90. I began my career over a decade ago at ZLC and made the move back to Connecticut a little over two years ago. Before stepping into this role, I had held exactly zero NATCA positions—and to be honest, I had very little interest in holding any. But I was raised with the mindset: If you don’t like something, do something about it. So I did. That’s how I found myself here today.

When I first heard about NATCA events like regional meetings and conventions, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Honestly, I envisioned long, grueling days full of heated debates and nonstop amendment talk. But what I found at the pre-convention was something completely different. Sure, there were disagreements—this is NATCA, after all—but the atmosphere was productive, not combative. It became clear that when we come together, we can work together. We may not always see eye to eye, but we do see the value in getting it right. And that’s what matters.

Beyond the amendments, we got a ton of valuable information. We heard from key figures across NATCA—covering Safety, CISM, ASI, Training, ATSAP, and Benefits. Even though I’ve attended RT-1, there have been a lot of changes since then, and these updates were incredibly helpful in giving me the tools I need to better serve my facility. We also had the opportunity to hear from Nick and Mick on current issues, including communication, Executive Orders, pay, CRWG, and ABACUS—topics that are often raised at Y90, and I was glad to finally get some clarity.

One of the biggest takeaways for me? Connection. Prior to this, I hadn’t met many of the FacReps at surrounding facilities beyond a few Teams calls. Meeting face-to-face and building those relationships was one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

Now more than ever, I believe it’s crucial that we protect what we have and continue pushing for what we deserve. Attending the pre-convention helped equip me with the knowledge, perspective, and support to do just that. And for that, I’m truly grateful.

Weingarten Rights

From Kevin Coeyman, ZBW Facility Representative

Recently, throughout the Region and around the Country, we have seen an increase in the number of meetings that the Agency wants to hold with BUEs. We wanted to take this opportunity to briefly discuss what exactly your rights are in you are called into a meeting with the Agency.

So, the Agency has decided to interview you. What happens next?

The Agency must tell you what the meeting is about; if they don’t, be sure you ask.
Are you entitled to a NATCA Representative? If you are the subject of the interview, yes, you are, and the Agency has a contractual requirement to tell you that in advance.

If you are told you are not the subject of the interview, are you entitled to a NATCA Representative? The short answer is no, however, you can still request one. Furthermore, if YOU reasonably believe that the meeting COULD result in discipline, you are entitled to a NATCA Representative.

If you ask for a NATCA Representative, how does that work? The Agency should have informed the FacRep or their designee about the meeting prior to informing you. Speak to your FacRep, as they determine who will be the NATCA Representative.
If you ask for and receive NATCA Representation for a meeting, are you allow to speak with them in private prior to the meeting? Absolutely Yes! Take this time to discuss the upcoming meeting and ask any questions about the process you may have.
Do you have to participate in the meeting? Yes. It is a requirement of employment.
Can you or your NATCA Representative ask for a break during the meeting? Yes, you can. However, you cannot unreasonably delay the meeting.

Remember, when the Agency asks to have any type of discussion with you, tells you that you are selected for substance testing, tells you that you are having a Weingarten meeting or any other type of meeting, ask for your NATCA rep! NATCA Representative is here to protect your rights. Take advantage of it!

Reach out to your FacRep with any questions.

New England Members Attend LEAP

Last month, I had the privilege of attending the LEAP course in Glen Rose, Texas. LEAP was an incredible experience that pushed me to understand various leadership styles and perspectives. In a small classroom setting, we received detailed briefings on different principles and definitions of leadership. Through a quiz, every participant in the class identified what leadership category they dominantly portrayed. The class was placed into four random groups with members from different facilities and different leadership categories. Throughout the course, each team had to work together to resolve various conflicts through the perspective of FacRep, RVP, and occasionally management.

This course really opened my eyes to identifying my strengths as an “Influence” leader and helped me acquire the tools to strengthen my other facets of leadership. LEAP pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me willing to accept and understand that we all have strengths and weaknesses in our leadership styles. I thoroughly enjoyed the respect we showed each other throughout the process. LEAP is very involved and requires everyone to present their ideas and opinions regularly. As expected, the majority of the class had differing opinions and experiences in their careers. However, everyone did a great job of listening to each other in an effort to shape a new perspective when dealing with various issues.

As members and leaders, we must work together to bring out the best attributes in our workforce. I am grateful for the opportunity to have attended LEAP. This experience will not only shape my future, but hopefully inspire other members to help shape the future of our organization.

Israel Cruz, BTV

“In March, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend NATCA’s Leadership Experience Acceleration Project (LEAP) class. Before flying out to Texas, everyone had to take a test called a DISC assessment that helped me understand more about my communication style. In class, we learned different techniques and strategies to develop our own personal leadership style, and later got to put our skills to the test.

Our facilitators led us through real-life scenarios we might face as a leader in NATCA. These difficult conversations taught us the importance of seeing things from different points of view.

This jam-packed three-day course was the best personal development class I’ve ever attended. If you ever get the chance to go, I highly recommend it!”

Kerri Fingerson, ZBW

Upcoming Events and Information

Our Controlled Chaos team is coordinating with New England Regional Flight Surgeon Dr. Ray to hold another briefing. He will be answering questions that New England members have submitted, ensuring that our members are getting answers to pressing issues regarding their medical clearances.

We are still looking for more questions, so if you have a question you’d like Dr. Ray to answer, please fill out the question submission form.

The team has not yet confirmed a date for this upcoming briefing, so keep an eye out for an announcement on when Dr. Ray will be answering your questions.

NATCA is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Archie League Medal of Safety Awards! Submit your peer(s) for a save that occurred at your facility between May 1, 2024 and April 30, 2025. Any member may nominate another member for an Archie League Medal of Safety Award.

For more information and to submit a nomination, visit https://www.natca.org/events/cfs/archie_nomination_form/

Every day, air traffic controllers across the country set the standard for professionalism, teamwork, and leadership. Do you know someone who consistently inspires, motivates, and elevates those around them?

Don’t let their dedication go unnoticed! Nominate them for the 2025 NATCA National Professionalism Award. Nominations for members in good standing will be considered for the award. There is no limit to the amount of nominations for one individual.

Let’s recognize the best among us. The deadline to nominate is June 1, 2025. Nominate now at natca.org/professionalismaward

In support of Pride Month 2025, the NATCA Charitable Foundation (NCF) will once again sell NATCA Pride Shirts. With your help, NCF will support charities that serve LGBTQ+ young people across the country. Available in both women’s and men’s sizes, the Platinum NATCA Pride shirts are priced at $25 – $30 plus shipping.

With your support, NCF will be able to help these worthy charities continue their great work.

Order your shirt today: https://store.natca.org/product/natca-pride-2025-t-shirt/

Orders must be received by April 18th. Your shirt order will be delivered by June 1st, 2025!