Babbitt, LaHood Offer Praise And Thanks

A three-year-long effort to negotiate a new contract for Air Traffic Controllers represented by NATCA neared conclusion on Wednesday, when controllers nationwide voted to ratify a new three-year contract.

The new contract, which will cover NATCA’s air traffic controller, traffic management and NOTAM specialist bargaining units, is scheduled to take effect on October 1.

NATCA members voted on only a set of new work rules that both NATCA and the FAA agreed to at the negotiating table earlier this year. Other contract articles including pay were decided through a binding arbitration process that concluded on August 13th and were not subject to union member ratification. The Wall Street Journal reports that, under the new contract, newly-hired controllers would see a base-pay boost of about $45,000 over the next three years, while veteran controllers will be given pay hikes of about $9,000 over the same period. The contract also sets aside #30 million per year for incentives.  The FAA will have to find some $700 million over the life of the three-year contract to fulfill its obligations.

“Today, the members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association overwhelmingly approved a collective bargaining agreement with the FAA," said NATCA President Patrick Forrey. "It is a testament to our membership that they have endured the worst time in our union's history, working towards and holding out for a contract that was negotiated in a fair process and agreed to by the parties." 

“This would not have been possible without the support and commitment of the Obama Administration, key members of Congress and the AFL-CIO in providing a fair and transparent process," he continued. "Now is the time to move forward and forge a working relationship that will stabilize the workforce, effectively train the large number of new hires and keep the current system safe and efficient while we transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System.”

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said he was pleased with the hard work that both negotiating teams devoted to this during an intense three-month effort, which was "overwhelmingly" ratified by NATCA members. "We set out on this process in May with the goal to move definitively from the past to an agreement that we hope will start a new progressive relationship between the FAA and the controllers as we set about important work to transform the entire air traffic control system," Babbitt said. "This gives us a great platform for moving forward on the next generation of air navigation, which will greatly benefit our nation and the traveling public." 

For his part, Transportation Secretary LaHood thanked Chairman Jane Garvey and mediators Rich Bloch and Dana Eischen for making the agreement possible, and expressed appreciation to NATCA leaders who ran for office on a platform supporting the contract. "From the very first day I came into this job, I made a commitment to the controllers that reaching a mutually acceptable agreement would be our top priority," LaHood said. "The union's ratification vote is great news and marks a new day between the controllers and the FAA."

Both parties plan to sign the three-year agreement on Friday, September 25.

FMI: www.natca.org, www.faa.gov