SEP 14 2001


Mr. Walter W. Pike
President, National Association of
Air Traffic Specialists .......
11303 Amherst Avenue
Wheaten, MD 20902

Administrator Garvey has asked me to respond to your follow-up letter concerning your August 17 meeting regarding the negotiations between the National Association of Air Traffic Specialists and the Federal Aviation Administration. There are several issues in your letter that I wish to clarify.

Although our team did officially take our offer off the table pending coordination within the Administration, we are hopeful of reinstating that offer in the near future. That offer provides a pay raise for the flight service station specialists (FSS) of 5� percent over 5 years above the Government wide pay raises. For example, if the Government wide increases average 4 percent a year for the 5-year term of the agreement, the general pay increase for FSS would be
25tA percent over that period. Also, the offer provided an additional 8 percent average increase over the 5 years in performance payouts. As you know, we also offered to upgrade lower level FSS's in Alaska to the GS-12 equivalent level.

We do not believe the parties are at impasse. In addition to the fact that we have no firm pay proposal on the table, there are several work roles still unresolved. Additionally, there have been no final agreements on any aspect of the pay system,

We look forward to meeting with you soon to resume negotiations.

Sincerely,

Ray Thoman

For
Glenda M. Tate
Assistant Administrator for Human Resource
Management