Association expresses concern over agency's implementation of "Reduction in Force" policy

In what was scheduled as a public relations visit to the Altoona (PA) and Islip (NY). Flight Service Stations (AFSS), FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, with Vice President of Flight Services Jim Washington, and Assistant Administrator for Human Resource Management Ventris Gibson, declared the FAA would create a Preferred Placement Program and the Age Exemption Program for AFSS employees. Initially this news brought accolades from those employees in attendance, most of whom are uncertain as to their FAA futures as a result of the FAA's planned reduction-in-force (RIF) action and subsequent loss of jobs.

However, Ms. Gibson (photo, above) later stated that the 435 new positions under the FAA hiring plan this year have already been set aside for individuals outside of the FAA who have no prior experience. She later informed the controllers at Altoona AFSS that there would be employees involuntarily separated as a result of the FAA's competitive outsourcing initiative.

"This year there are over 435 controller jobs that could be filled by qualified employees from within the FAA, employees that the FAA may involuntarily separate later this year," said Kate Breen, president of the National Association of Air Traffic Specialists (NAATS), the union that represents the controllers in the Flight Service Option. "I would have hoped that the Administrator would announce a plan that is finalized and that the plan would address all the needs of the controllers and the FAA."

Breen (photo, above) went on to say that she is concerned that the FAA will implement its Reduction in Force (RIF) policy in a limited manner. Although the RIF policy requires a hiring freeze, NAATS is concerned the FAA will place a hiring freeze on only a portion of the jobs available within the FAA and not all jobs available to include external hiring.

In NATA's opinion, the FAA should resort to a RIF only after all other reasonable attempts have failed to place every affected employee. Their latest announcement of a policy appears, in the opinion of NATA, to fall short of accommodating the employees affected. Breen comments, "I hope that when the policy is finalized it reflects what seems to be an attempt by FAA management to do the right thing by employees."

FMI: www.naats.org