NATCA Calls FAA Request A 'Publicity Stunt'

As Aero-News reported in Real-Time Monday, the war of words continues between the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association over ongoing contract talks. After the Federal Aviation Administration requested a federal mediator to oversee its talks with the controller's union, NATCA's response was succinct.

"This is a publicity stunt, pure and simple," said NATCA spokesperson Doug Church to ANN Senior Editor Pete Combs. "What the FAA said [Monday] is not an indication of where the contract negotiations really stand. It's just what the FAA's strategy appears to be, which is sidestepping genuine and constructive negotiations."

"We wouldn't be surprised if this move came as a surprise to the FAA's own negotiating team, who I'm sure would tell you that progress is being made at the table," Church added.

According to Church, NATCA and FAA teams are back in Washington now, to begin another two-week negotiating schedule. NATCA also claims out of the 100 specific areas at issue between the two entities, 49 articles have already been worked out -- with the remaining 51 areas currently being ironed out through the traditional bargaining process.

As you might expect, FAA Chief Spokesperson Greg Martin paints a slightly different picture. In a discussion Tuesday with Aero-News E-I-C Jim Campbell, Martin says the FAA has seen such 'rhetoric' from NATCA before.

"It goes back to 2003, when the FAA was going through its reauthorization debate and NATCA brought up the red herring of privatization as it relates to contract towers," said Martin. "Today... we really are at a crossroads on taking a look at what our system needs, and what we have to do over the next couple of years and decades as far as issues of personnel and modernization. And we need to make sure we have the available funding to do so."

Martin calls the last contract with NATCA -- which included pay raises (as high as 74 percent, according to the FAA spokesman) and additional benefits for controllers -- "onerous." That contract expired this past July.

"The question that falls to the FAA is, can we sustain a similar contract for another five years, when there are so many more pressing needs in terms of safety and modernization."

(Editor's Note: You can hear more from Doug Church and Greg Martin on today's Aero-News Daily Briefing, available here.)

The debate will likely continue for some time, as both sides try to gain an upper hand in their talks.

"The process is playing itself out, as it should," said Church on the overall status of the negotiations.

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