Region X Member Update | 1 March 2025
| Region X Family, This message may be long, but there is a lot to cover. Potential Reduction in Force (RIF) I want to begin by acknowledging that I, and the rest of the leadership team, understand the most important issue to our members right now are the potential RIF actions. Recent Executive Orders have directed agencies, including the FAA, to reduce numbers of employees significantly. Notwithstanding the myriad of other attacks against government workers, we understand the most important goal is to focus on protecting our jobs, careers, and professions. The guidance provided in the Executive Order contains language which excludes positions that provide a “public safety” service from any potential RIF actions. NATCA’s position is that all the Bargaining Unit Employees (BUEs) we represent have public safety responsibilities. This past week, NATCA communicated this position to the FAA. To date the Agency has not responded, nor have we seen any indication at this time that the FAA is a specific target for a reduction in force. In the event of a RIF, the Agency is obligated to bargain with NATCA as to how its members will be impacted, and how the RIF will be implemented. There are specific timelines and procedures associated with RIF actions. Rest assured that if and when the Agency provides a RIF plan, NATCA will aggressively defend our rights, and will do so with an open line of communication to our members. We have a unique role for the flying public. Our roles and our relationships with those that fly have kept us out of the crosshairs during many trying times. We will continue to work with our friends in Congress on this issue as well as towards the goal of eventually restoring a more flexible workplace and positive work life balance that includes the restoration of telework. Right now, I urge everyone to be patient and let us work. Return to Office (RTO) We recognize that the RTO mandate is also having a major impact on Region X members. By now we all should understand this mandate came through an Executive Order and was then put in place throughout the entire federal government. We have received notification from the FAA on how the Agency intends to implement the RTO mandate, and most of our membership has had their telework agreements terminated. We have a fully executed Collective Bargaining Agreement in Region X that covers telework. It is important to remember that the Agency always had the right to determine the level of telework which is allowed in order to best meet the mission. Our Labor Relations department has confirmed that this is a management right. It is extremely frustrating to everyone that we have developed a flexible agreement that supports work-life balance – one which benefits both employees and the Agency – only to see the elimination of routine telework. A balanced work-life has many benefits: it keeps morale up, our minds healthy, and enriches our families and relationships both at home and at work. We understand the frustration over the RTO mandate. However, we are all under attack simply because we are federal employees, and while we will continue to exercise all our collective bargaining rights with respect to the RTO mandate, our priority must be the protection of our very livelihoods. As it stands today, a full-time in-office presence for our members is a reality. While NATCA has no standing to challenge the Agency-directed policy, the Agency still must follow our contractual provisions regarding termination, other available telework options, space considerations, etc. We encourage local reps to engage management on working these issues and filing grievances if our CBA is violated. Our National Reps and ARVPs are available to help you if you are stuck on what action to take in any given circumstance. Keep in mind, the main goal of this RTO mandate is to get people to quit the Agency. Everything that is happening right now is designed to cause frustration and fear to make you want to voluntarily leave government service. If you care about your job, your career, and your profession then dig in, keep working, and don’t let the current frustrations get the better of you. We are living in unprecedented times right now, but we will get through it. These relentless attacks are all meant to distract us and cause chaos so that we will become divided, and easier to defeat. We must, at every opportunity, lean into the Agency. Reps at every level must be more engaged than ever. Ask questions of your counterparts. Be communicative, responsive, and professional. Region X Town Hall Last week, Region X held its first Town Hall meeting in the current landscape, with over 350 members attending. We understand that there were technical difficulties; that came with the territory of doing something new and with a new platform. We are working to mitigate those problems and anticipate holding a second Town Hall meeting this week. Keep your eyes open for an invite. From the Town Hall chat we captured all the questions, are consolidating them to remove similar questions, and we will share the responses as soon as possible. While we are happy to take questions from our members, please take the time to familiarize yourselves with the information which has already been distributed ahead of time. This will enable us to focus on new information, rather than on information which has already been distributed. It is important to recognize that continuously asking the same questions in different ways will not yield a new response. We share new information when we have it. We will be communicating more frequently on the National level when we have significant news or direction. If you have a question specific to your situation, or want additional guidance on these communications, please start by reaching out to your Local and National LOB representatives. With everything transpiring around us, it is important not to fall for the people that want to create chaos within. We are doing all we can right now in this unprecedented time to strategize on protecting our jobs and the provisions of our contract. More than ever, we need to present solidarity as a union and stand together against this assault on us and our professions. In solidarity, Region X Leadership Team Region X National Contact Informations Region X National Leadership Mark Rausch Regional Vice President Bob Aitken Alternate Regional Vice President Nicole Wysong Alternate Regional Vice President Allen Casey Alternate Regional Vice President Gwendolyn Kimbrough AFN National Representative Felicia Reeves Airports National Representative Patrick Massie Aircraft Certification National Representative Karyl Schaeffer AIT National Representative Freidy Lazala Drug Abatement National Representative Ralph Pagington Field Automation Support Team (FAST) Kevin Hammond Operations Support Facilities (OSF) Team Region X National Committee Representative Don Schmeichel – National Safety Committee Bob Aitken – National Training Committee Lisen Minetti – National Communications Committee Freidy Lazala – National Drug & Alcohol Committee Samantha Giberson – National Safety Committee Mike Martin – National Constitution Committee Anthony Barksdale – National Organizing Committee Jefferson MacDonald – National Organizing Committee Homer Benavides – National OSHA Committee Quang Nguyen – National Benefits Committee Don Schmeichel – National Historical Committee Jason Holland – National Legislative Committee Dawn Forde – National Legislative Committee Corey Glaze – National Pay Team & Collaboration Facilitator Ed Szczuka – Finance Committee, Onboarding Corey Glaze – Finance Committee (Mentee) Allen Strah – IT and Regional Communications Homer Benavides – National OWCP Committee Brittan Smith – Union Synergy Committee Nicole Wysong – National Reloaded Committee |
