Organizing Committee Holds First Meeting
Thursday, January 13, 2011

The newly-formed National Organizing Committee held its first meeting this week in the National Office.

The committee's initial goal is to shore up NATCA's representation of FCTs (Federal Contract Towers). NATCA currently represents 63 FCTs (BAZ is not in the FCT program yet, but we are hoping they will be accepted soon). There are currently 122 unaffiliated FCTs. We have a temporary moratorium in place on signing up new facilities while we revamp our existing FCT support structures and create a comprehensive strategy for organizing the remaining unaffiliated facilities.

"In our discussions over the last several months, the NEB decided it is necessary to form an Organizing Committee devoted to external organizing," Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert said. "Our Reloaded Committee continues to work diligently on creating programs and strategies devoted to internal organizing matters, such as mentoring, educating and increasing membership. We are expecting great things from the Reloaded Committee in the coming months. But after careful consideration, the NEB recognized that the Reloaded Committee’s efforts will not assist us in the areas of external organizing. We now want to create a structure similar to the Reloaded Committee, but aimed at our external organizing efforts."

Next steps after this week's initial meeting include setting up additional meetings for committee members to create a framework within each region to provide support and assistance to new facilities, as well as to create a comprehensive organizing strategy for the remaining unaffiliated facilities. The expectation is that regional organizing teams will be created, and they will be the ones to visit and try to organize facilities in their geographic areas, as well as providing support and assistance. In this manner, NATCA is hopeful that relationships will be forged, and there will be more unity across the lines of FAA, DOD and FCT members. 

Said Organizing Committee Chairman John Bratcher (FSM): ”Organizing is a fundamental part of unionism and it is great to see our leadership focus on such an important aspect of the labor movement.”

"We believe our initial efforts will foster an atmosphere of inclusion and a better sense of our commonalities and shared interests," Gilbert said. "We know we have many former FCT controllers that now work for the FAA and we would like to see those former FCT members assist in promoting and providing union representation for their former FCT colleagues. We think this would also be a perfect opportunity for retired members to stay involved and pay it forward to the next generation of members in our FCTs."


Pictured above, from left to right, during the Organizing Committee's meeting
at the National Office on January 12: Rob Bratcher (MCI), Torrey Reich
(ZDC), Curt Fischer (A90), Mark Bohn (CLE, retired), Rich Hall (RVS).


Pictured, from left to right, during the Organizing Committee's meeting at the
National Office on January 12: Rich Hall (RVS), Kyle Johnson (OAK, retired),
Bill Jacobs (SCT), Mike Redmond (ZTL), John Bratcher (FSM).