NATCA Update: The Value of Labor Day
Brothers and Sisters,
Every September, we celebrate Labor Day and honor the contributions of America’s working people to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. As NATCA members, you should be rightfully proud of your great work and your contributions as aviation safety professionals. Today, we honor and celebrate you as essential workers within the transportation sector.
In 2021, the vital contributions of our Union’s members have been particularly noteworthy in keeping our National Airspace System operating safely every day. Thanks to your work, flights transporting life-saving vaccinations and other medical supplies continue to be prioritized so they arrive safely and on schedule at their destinations. As commercial aviation has rebounded to approach pre-pandemic levels, you have handled this traffic like the true professionals you are, while taking the precautions to protect yourselves, your co-workers, and your families during the pandemic. We thank you – especially those who will be on duty today – for this essential work.
Labor Day affords us the opportunity to remember that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. We honor those who came before us and we thank the dedicated members who developed NATCA into what it is today. Our Union is built upon a foundation of collective achievement. Every member’s voice and contributions allow us to better achieve our collective goals. We thank those who serve NATCA at the local, regional, and national levels. We could not succeed without the solidarity, activism, commitment, and hard work of so many of our members throughout the nation. But we cannot rest. Unions have fought hard to protect their members during the pandemic, and there is a growing understanding that unions are essential to the overall prosperity and success of our country, but the challenges facing all working people remain substantial.
On this Labor Day, let us come together and re-commit to being a part of a revitalized national organized labor movement. Our union brother, mineworker Richard Trumka, who led the AFL-CIO as its president for over a decade before passing away last month, said, “There is nothing stronger than the American labor movement. United, we cannot and we will not be turned aside. We’ll work for it, sisters and brothers. We’ll stand for it. Together. Each of us. To bring out the best in America. To bring out the best in ourselves, and each other.”
The strength of NATCA lies in each individual member and every Local, working together for the common good. If you would like to get more active in our Union, please reach out to your local or regional leadership. There are so many ways you can join your NATCA brothers and sisters in improving our Union, strengthening our solidarity, advancing our priorities, and supporting our NATCA family. Let’s continue building our Union to protect and promote our vital professions.
We thank you for your support and your trust, as we assume the roles of president and executive vice president of NATCA. We hope that you will bring your ideas forward to improve our Union. Please feel free to send us your thoughts, concerns, and questions to [email protected].
Happy Labor Day!
In Solidarity,
Rich Santa
President
Andrew LeBovidge
Executive Vice President
