Historical Committee

In mid-November 1995, Congress passed an annual appropriations act for the FAA that required the agency to implement a new personnel system and procurement procedures by April 1, 1996. In doing so, Congress exempted the FAA from a majority of the regulations contained in Title 5 of the United States Code. As a result, in addition to other potential changes, the agency could legally negotiate pay for the first time.

Interest in affiliating with NATCA exploded after the historic 1998 contract with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) secured a pay raise reflective of the important work the aviation safety professionals provide to the United States economy. Leadership searched for a building that would provide enough space for national office staff and committee meetings. On Jan. 1, 1996, NATCA began depositing $33,000 a month into a building fund. This fund would lead NATCA into the future.

During NATCA’s early years, organizers John Thornton and Howie Barte found funding for the controllers’ organizing efforts after initial support and money from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) was exhausted by late 1985.

In October 1985, Marine Engineers Beneficial Association President Gene DeFries called Barte to say MEBA would fund them. While this relationship would define the organization for the rest of the 1980s, the Union was ready for a change by the 1990s.

Archie League.

Archie League pioneered the air traffic control profession in 1929. League was employed by the city of St. Louis where every morning, he would pile equipment into a wheelbarrow he had rigged with an umbrella to protect him from the sun. He would trek across the 170-acre dirt airfield, position himself at the approach end of the runway, and wave his flags to issue holding and landing clearances for inbound pilots.

Even before Steve Bell became NATCA President in 1988, he and other Union leaders advocated collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), dismissing traditional, contentious labor-management relations in favor of a partnership philosophy. Despite the FAA’s intolerant reputation, there were several professionals in the Agency who also embraced cooperation and hoped to avoid a repeat of the 1981 controller strike, opening the door to formalize a policy of working together.