March 1st, 2025 New England Bi-Monthly Update
From Kevin Curtiss, NATCA New England Regional Vice President
NATCA New England,
For those who missed our members’ Town Hall this week, I’d like to give some perspective on my role as your RVP over this last week. This past Monday morning, I had a call with the FacReps, during which I briefed them on the events of the NEB finding out over the weekend that employees would be required to reply to the OPM email. During this call, I boldly said I didn’t think it would come to fruition. By lunchtime, I thought NATCA and the FAA would have put this in the box, and we would be on to the next challenge. I was wrong, and I don’t need to replay the events of Monday.
While debriefing on the NEB call, I said, “NATCA had a bad day”. When asked to elaborate, I said, “Well, we came out of a meeting with the FAA in which they intended to assign work. NATCA sent out guidance to our members to only have the FAA back away from its position. My perspective, and our region’s perspective, was that at the end of the day, NATCA was holding the bag doing the Agency’s work.
In order to get better, you have to do what I refer to as “put on the tape and watch the performance”. Evaluate and criticize. You can have good intentions or a great plan, but it doesn’t always come to fruition. If that happens, accept it, learn from it, and get better. I believe most of New England agrees with that.
As we continue to navigate through challenges, I also think that we as the NEB have enough “tape” to start becoming more aggressive with getting the NATCA Majority involved to advocate for us and using the media to get our story into the eyes and ears of the American people so they understand that we deserve to be a workforce that can focus solely on our immense responsibility.
Air traffic controllers should not be combining positions to send an email. Air traffic controllers should not be working longer rotations than they already are because their relief is sending an email. Air traffic controllers should not have their rest – on what is often their only day off – fractured because they are worried about an email. And the NEB should be the ones that start to scream on behalf of the members, “No more!”
HK
From Steve Brown, NATCA New England ARVP
As part of the NNE leadership team, it’s my job to try to understand the will of the region. To get a feel of what the membership thinks and then act on your behalf. One of the ways our team receives that information is from your local FacRep during weekly calls. Following the OPM email in reference to the five bullet points, this week’s call had a very clear tone. Here are some of the quotes from your local leaders:
“We look weak, like we rolled over and are just going to take it.” “I’m extremely disappointed in myself and in the union.” “My facility is upset about what happened.” And “I was embarrassed to read and forward the national email.”
The sentiment was clear. It hit hard, and frankly, I shared it. I called Kevin and said it feels like we got our ass kicked. We have to be better for our members.
Jake, Kevin, and I talk every day and discuss the things we hear and feel throughout the region. Kevin takes that information to the National Executive Board, which consists of the other RVPs from across the country, the Executive Vice President, and the President of the union. That board then makes decisions based on the information.
As New Englanders, we expect a lot from our leaders. With lofty expectations, the times when expectations aren’t met can feel heavy. I want to assure you that the New England leadership team is pushing your ideas forward. Your ideas about how things should have been handled, where the direction of this union should be headed, and what our priorities as a union should be.
Please keep speaking your mind. Please keep reaching out to your leaders with ideas and suggestions. Please keep fighting because we’ll never stop fighting for you.
From Jake Detwiler, NATCA New England ARVP
During these tumultuous times for NATCA, where it may seem that the everyday issue may be lost, I want to assure you that it is not the case. Kevin relies heavily on his ARVPs to stay in touch with our Reps and work the issues that arise from buildings or disputes with local management.
As a result, we have developed fantastic ways of tracking things. So, if you think that your issue, in comparison to what is going on in the national landscape, may be lost in the shuffle, I assure you it is not.
If I can offer anything to the membership, it is that while in the moment things can feel stressful, your regional leadership is doing everything they can to protect your rights and keep you informed
