At the end of December, I visited Columbia AFSS and later met with Central Regional Director Mike Terry, CE Regional Coordinator Jerry VanVacter and the membership. Present from COU were Roger Jaeger (who provided excellent meeting space), Dave Dearnley, Pam Anderson, Diane Carter, Don Jacobson, Kati Jennings, Phil Knoppe, Wayne Wansing and Jim Wilkerson and FacRep Chuck Basye. Also attending, were Carl Taylor OLU FacRep, Sam Walley STL FacRep, and Jim Perkins FOD FacRep. I thoroughly enjoyed the exchange of information with the members and my commitment is do more of this next year. One of the action items I took was to get FAA Human Resources to provide a definitive, written interpretation of the issue of mandatory retirement at age 56. Thanks to all for their invitation.

Bill Dolan, Chief Negotiator

By Mike Causey,  FEDweek Senior Editor

FedWeek.com, Wed, Dec. 12, 2001

The federal establishment, and the team of people it needs, but can�t get, is constantly under study. In the past there was the Hoover Commission, then the Little Hoover Commission. Top business leaders have studied personnel problems in government. The Rockefellers have studied government. I used to write about the studies all time, until they sort of became a blur.

They are credentialed, and the conclusions they reach -- even if they are 100 percent off the wall -- are official. But are they any good?

As near as I can tell Harvard is studying you right now. The liberal Brookings Institution has studied government personnel problems, and continues to do so. The conservative Heritage Foundation has reams of reports about personnel problems in government. Numerous "government" groups have, are and will continue to study government. Mostly they get money in the form of grants and contracts (from the government) to study the government. They report to the government, which passes the reports on to the media, files them and, usually a year later, orders another study.

Mostly the studies say the same things: That is that the best and brightest people aren�t coming into government anymore. If you go back far enough -- and the reports go back 50 years -- they all reach the same conclusion: That the best and brightest (this means Harvard and Yale folks, and more recently Stanford and Brown) aren�t coming into government.

If they are correct it means that the not so good and not so bright have been entering government services for the past 50 years. If that�s true it's a wonder the government works at all. At any level. On any project. It�s a wonder anybody in government -- we hope this column has lots of readers -- can handle all the big words that are used.

It could be that the study groups� version of best-and-brightest isn�t the mainstream American definition of what government is getting, and what it needs, in talent.

Politicians (in Congress) have used the civil service as a punching bag, scapegoat for decades. Both parties are equally guilty. Democrats and Republicans -- in top leadership posts -- have at various times called the IRS and the ATF (to mention just two agencies) fascist. One prominent House leader referred to the ATF several years ago as a haven for "jack booted thugs."  His life, incidentally, was saved more recently by a federal law enforcement officer who took a bullet -- and died -- stopping a would-be assassin inside the Capitol Building. This was long before September 11, 2001.

Politicians at the presidential level have used the government�s recruiting and hiring process in shameful bids to court the votes of different groups. The buyout program of the 1990s didn�t do anybody -- certainly not the taxpayers -- any favors by paying experienced employees to take early retirement. Nearly 200,000 buyouts times $24,500 (the average buyout) is a lot of money. And for what?

Study groups now tell us the government is facing a brain-drain and has to do something to lure sharp people -- the top 10 percent of graduating classes into government. Maybe so. But none of those people are going to come in as airport screeners. Chances are (with their expensive educations and high expectations) they might not be very good screeners anyhow.

Sure the government should raise salaries. And of course it should cut red tape (but not too much, since some of that red tape involves security screenings and background checks). So should a lot of private companies.

But it would be refreshing if some study group would come along and say the equivalent of: You know what? All things considered, the government has been getting -- and is filled with -- some pretty darn good people. Smart enough. And loyal, too. If the government is getting too few of the cream of the crop (as defined by people who consider themselves the cream of the crop) maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. And maybe it isn�t such a bad thing.

If the top Ivy League graduates all came into government, where would they go, what (and how much good) would they do? And how long would they last after hitting the first bump in the road?

Meantime you second-raters, who have been running the show for the last 50 years, keep doing what your doing. You're either awfully good (despite the studies) or awfully lucky. So far, so good.

Kurt Comisky, New England RegDir

The tragic events of September 11^th have had a considerable impact on Flight Service and in particular, here in New England.  Despite the usual mismanagement by the FAA Headquarters, Flight Service has risen to the task and proved themselves again, with great distinction.  As our search for recognition and justice continues, we need to keep perspective.  The acts of terror that claimed thousands of lives and that has caused pain and sorrow for countless numbers of family and friends, which has gripped the attention of our nation and it�s elected leaders.  In New England as well as Eastern Region, many of us have been personally affected or know of one that was, which has caused considerable trepidation and anxiety.  As time passes, the nation and its elected leaders struggle to return to some sense of normalcy.  Our attention now returns to our quest for a fair and equitable contract, in light of all that has transpired, the focus now rests squarely on the Administrator.

The time has come for the Administrator to meaningfully recognize Flight Service.  As we wait for the Administrator we must take an honest look at ourselves, what are our expectations.  Each and every day Flight Service has gone above and beyond what is required.  By all accounts, those in Flight Service have a strong work ethic and sense of professionalism that is rarely seen in government service.  The dedication to duty, in terms of time on position, making the outdated and inadequate systems work and outstanding customer service, is unparalleled in the FAA, which includes the other air traffic controllers.  As we wait for the Administrator to respond, we need to reassess our work ethic and our willingness to routinely go above and beyond. There is no shame in slipping into the stereotypical civil servant; it works for most others in the FAA.  

Room Rate: $85.00/night

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL:

(800) 311-8999 or (702) 730-7000

Group Claims Federal Workplaces Unsafe

Citizens Against Government Waste called on the Bush Administration and Congress to protect government workers by making federal agencies safer places to work.  The group said the government could save billion of dollars in taxpayers money.  A spokesperson for the group said statistics show that federal accident and injury rates are far higher than in private industry.  Federal workers report about 160,000 new workplace injury and illness claims each year.  Each year, the federal government spends approximately $2 billion under the federal employees compensation act, compensating victims and their families for workplace illnesses, injuries, and deaths.  But there is also the added expense of lost production, diminished worker morale, new training, and recruitment for staff replacements, and other indirect costs add up to ten times the cost of the compensation. 

Study Says Terrorist Acts Hamper Worker Concentration

�      A new study appearing in the Journal of Experimental Psychology (Vol. 56, No. 12) finds that people are having trouble shifting attention back to normal routines because threatening images hold attention much longer than non-threatening ones.  The Washington-based American Psychology Association says it is important to understand that manipulation of feelings is one of the goals of terrorists.  Helping or encouraging employees to use the following techniques may help reduce their anxiety:

�      Go about your life as normally as possible.

�      Limit exposure to the news media. Overexposure to news reports may heighten anxiety.

�      Talk about your feelings with others.  Share your stress or take time out for yourself by walking or reading.

�      Do the things you do well, in order to experience a sense of mastery and control.

�      Educate yourself about the threats.

�      Strengthen yourself and reduce stress by exercising your mind and body.

�      Use humor as a way to cope.  Watch television comedies, go to a comedy club or read a humorous book.

If employees are unable to meet daily responsibilities, they should seek professional help from a mental health care provider.  Please remember your local NAATS CISD (critical incident stress debriefer) and EAP services are always available! 

Health and Human Services Struggles with New Role

In his worst nightmare, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson, surely never dreamed that his agency would be fulfilling the role it has adopted today.  When the airliners crashed into the World Trade Centers, Thompson became the first secretary of Health and Human Services to declare a national emergency.  He sent tons of medical supplies and hundreds of health care workers and morticians to the scene.  Also with the anthrax threat upon us, Thompson formed a bioterrorism team, which is helping the government respond to biological and chemical threats. President Bush�s $20 billion emergency relief budget request includes $1.5 billion for the Dept. of Health and Human Services to respond to and treat potential bioterrorism attacks. 

AEDs to be Promoted

The new head of the White House Regulatory Affairs Office has asked OSHA to consider making automated external defibrillators (AEDs) a high priority for use in the workplace.  John D. Graham, Administrator of the Regulatory Affairs in the office of management and budget, recently wrote a letter to the assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, calling AEDs "a promising lifesaving technology."  He said that preliminary calculations by his office suggest that AEDs in the workplace might be cost-effective. 

Airport Security Increases with Rapid Response Teams

Transportation Secretary, Norman Mineta, created the teams after the September 11 terrorist attack.  Eight leaders in the aviation and security protection comprise the teams.  Recommendations of the response teams include, many of which are already underway, the federal management of airport security services, expansion of the federal air marshal program, and the deployment of the National Guard to augment existing security.  Mineta also recently proposed to Congress legislation that would increase the level of safety for hazardous materials transportation.  The team�s recommendations have been posted on the dept. of transportation website: www.dot.gov.

OSHA�s Top-Ten Most-Violated Standards

In fiscal 2001, based on the most serious citations, the most often violated OSHA Standards are:

1.    Scaffolding-Construction  (29CFR1926.451)

2.  Fall Protection-Construction  (1926.501)

3.  Hazard Communication (HAZCOM)  (1910.1200)

4.    Lockout/Tag out  (1910.147)

5.  Machine Guarding-General  (1910.212)

6.    Respiratory Protection  (1910.134)

7.    Electrical  (1910.305)

8.    Mechanical Power  (1910.219)

9.   Powered Industrial Trucks  (1910.178)

10. Excavations  (1926.651) 

General Tips for Working Outdoors During the Winter Months

1.   Use the buddy system when feasible.

2.   Take time to become accustomed to the cold.

3.   Minimize sitting or standing still for long periods of time, do not sit on unprotected metal seats.

4.   Protect workers from drafts.

5.   If portable heaters are used, follow all manufacturers instructions for installation and use of heaters.

6.   Ensure employees are trained in the various aspects of cold stress.

7.   Avoid coffee and caffeine because of the diuretic and circulatory effects, consider warm sweet drinks and soup.

8.   Wear gloves to prevent contact with bare metal surfaces.

9.    Beware of contacting wet skin with cold metal; make sure hands and gloves are dry. 

Safety Winter Driving Tips

       Motorists can drastically cut down on the odds of being involved in accidents during often- treacherous winter driving by keeping this advice in mind:

�      Do not drive if you feel nervous about the weather or are very tired.  Apprehension and fatigue can slow your reflexes.

�      Always drive slower and well within your comfort zone on slippery roads; they provide just a small fraction of the grip provided by dry pavement.

�      Use your rearview mirrors and windows more often to help you evaluate where your car is in relation to surrounding vehicles.  Always consider what your response will be if an accident occurs directly in front of you.  Give yourself space to prevent running into another vehicle.

�      If your car skids, slowly turn in the direction of the skid to bring it into a straight line.

�      Avoid the use of car phones, it can rob you of the much-needed time to brake or maneuver out of a possible collision.

�      Never SLAM on the brakes; that my cause you to lose steering control, pump the brake pedal rapidly during quick stops on slippery roads if your car does not have anti-lock brakes.

�      Make sure your vehicle can be seen easily by other motorists, dirty winter roads quickly cake headlights, taillights and turn signals with grime that markedly cuts down on their effectiveness.  Brush snow from the hood and roof so it does not slide from those areas onto the windows.

 Most of all have a safe and warm winter season...  

Pay Disparity in Air Traffic Control Options Will Increase Flight Safety Risk

Art Finnegan, BDR AFSS

On a cold January day I read a New York City newspaper with interest.  The cover story was about JFK Jr. and how he recently obtained his private pilots license, bought a small airplane, and had flown back and forth from the NYC area to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  I also overheard a couple of my co-workers discussing how they talked to him at the air to ground position during those travels.  I immediately did a mental review of the variables in my mind; a new pilot, new airplane, residences in both NYC and Cape Cod, along with factors such as meteorological conditions unique to the area, the National Weather Service�s forecast limitations, and inadequate, inaccurate automatic weather observation machines, among other things.  I casually stated to some co-workers "Did you see the article about JFK Jr.?  He�s one guy we have to watch out for this summer!"

The tragic event that took the young pilot�s and others lives just a half-year from then horrified the world and caused many to ask how could that happen?  As most of the world searched for an answer to that question, I and most of my co-workers quietly thought of all the variables and how they effect the thousands of flyers who flock to that popular area of the country every summer.  Most survive their experience, however, a number of them unfortunately fall victim to certain meteorological conditions unique to the area. Those conditions are difficult to predict by most but are well known to personnel in the Fight Service Station.  How do they know that? What made me think any particular pilot might encounter difficulties six months from then?  Experience is the answer.               

Experience and expertise in the Air Traffic Control Flight Service Option (already at a premium) is in danger of becoming minimized. The experience level of Flight Service Controllers will decrease and flight safety risk will increase with the incentive of higher pay at comparable grade levels if the FAA allows pay disparity in Air Traffic Control Options to exist.  Pay disparity will exist in Air Traffic Control Options if the FAA does not negotiate comparable levels of compensation for Flight Service Controllers to Center and Tower Controllers. Anyone who enters the Air Traffic Control profession in the Flight Service Option at a given pay level will soon desire to move to another Air Traffic Control option where the pay is greater at a comparable level.  This will decrease the experience level of Flight Service Controllers. The experience level of Flight Service Controllers is critical to flight safety and is not negotiable. There is no substitute for experience.

By the way, airplane accidents, especially high profile ones, are usually broadcast and published in the media but the successful completion of any flight is rarely worthy of such attention.  That is one reason why the many thousands of lives and many millions of dollars worth of property that are saved each year which is directly attributable to the efforts of dedicated Flight Service Controllers goes mostly unrecognized.

This must change.

Federal Employees That Have Been Called to Serve Our Country

By Mike Causey
FedWeek.com, Wed., Jan. 02, 2002

Thousands of federal, state and local government workers (many of them police officers) have been called up by National Guard and Reserve units. Some have been on duty for 6 months or more, and many face tours that will last at least 12 months. Maybe more.

In many areas -- such as the metro Washington area -- government employees make up the bulk of many Guard and Reserve units.

If you are one who has been called to active duty -- or might be -- or if you are the friend or relative of somebody in that category, clip and save this item. It's about their right of return to their government job.

Tammy Flanagan, with the Rockville, Md., based National Institutes of Transition Planning has this advice:

A federal employee who has been called to military duty "can be on furlough [from his or her job] for up to 5 years and receive retirement credit for all of the service. The person can even retire at the end of the military service without returning to the civilian position (it meets the 1 out of 2 requirement for Civil Service Retirement System purposes). These veterans will have to pay the military service credit deposit, however! The only ones who won�t are those under CSRS who do NOT have 40 quarters of Social Security coverage. This period of furlough is treated like being on leave without pay. This means that the time is included in the computation of their length of service and the high-three year salary computation (based on their civilian pay rate. As long as they are discharged within 5 years," she advises, "no problem with retirement credit!"

For more detail, and backup, you can check out the Office of Personnel Management regulation on the subject: Its Section 22A6.1-2 with the subject heading "CONCURRENT MILITARY AND CIVILIAN SERVICE (Military Furlough). TSP INVESTMENTS."

January is a good time to take a look at your Thrift Savings Plan portfolio, make adjustments where necessary and be sure you understand new rules that raise the maximum individual contribution to an a 401(k) plan to $11,000 in 2002.

C-fund accounts (which track the S & P 500) took a sharp nosedive after the September 11 attacks. But they�ve bounced back big time. That means if you kept putting money in the C-fund over the last several months, you managed to buy low -- when the market was down. That�s 50 percent of investing. The other half is to sell high.

Many financial planners believe that a portfolio should have some small and mid-cap stocks (that would be the S-fund), as well as international stocks (that would be the I-fund). The I-fund is subject to big up and down swings, local events (from weather to revolutions) and currency changes.

The G-fund (treasury securities) never has a bad day, month or year. On the other hand it never has returns of 10, 20 or 30 percent.

Chances are all of the funds have a place in your individual portfolio. The percentage for each will depend on your risk tolerance and how long until you plan to withdraw the money from your TSP account (not when you retire). Once you have hit that magic -- for you -- formula, you may need to rebalance your portfolio from time to time to make sure you aren�t top-heavy in any particular fund.

Dave Vitko, AOO AFSS

Walk This Way, Please

Words that have not been heard in any Flight Service Station since shortly after  the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. Access to flight service stations have been cut off to the flying public for face to face briefings, as the result of the terrorist attacks. President Bush keeps saying to go about our daily business as normal.  We can�t!  The FAA refuses to allow walk-ins. 

I think it is time to lift the restriction and allow the men and women of general aviation to visit flight service stations for weather briefings. They are the people we work for!

Even the post office where the anthrax virus was found have public access. We have all become suspects and prisoners as a result of Mr. Bin Laden.  Why don�t we show him we are not afraid of him and his network and get the flight service stations back to normal?

 Gary Bowman Returns as FacRep

We would like to welcome Gary Bowman�s return as the new FacRep for the Altoona AFSS and thank Beth Gerrits for her past efforts on the part of the bargaining unit at Altoona.

Congratulations, Donna

Our congratulations also go out to Donna Holmes as the newly elected Eastern Region Director. So far I am impressed by her eagerness and am looking forward to her future efforts.

From The FacRep

Gary Bowman, AOO FacRep

I was FACREP for 10 years and then took 3 years off.  It is amazing that we are facing the same issues that we were years ago.  The only thing that is changing, is that we have less specialists to do the job. The face of consolidation seems to be raising up from the dead. I never thought I would see that back this soon. It was hard for them to close the old FSS�s, just imagine how hard it will be politically for them to close AFSS�s. 

I would like to thank our new Eastern Region Director, Donna Holmes, for attending our Union Meeting held in December. I am glad our members got to meet her and get her opinions and views on certain issues. The main topic at the Union Meeting was the contract and pay issue. The members at AOO gave their support to Donna and the BOD, but we also feel that there needs to be some movement within the next year or so. This impasse cannot go on indefinitely. I would also like to thank Arnie for attending and giving us the OASIS Demo.  It was very informative. I know Arnie is on the road quite a bit, and for him to come to AOO so close to the holidays shows how dedicated he is.

STAFFING

At the recent Quarterly meeting with the Facility Managers and Representatives and the Region, the issue of staffing was addressed.  The FAA began a new method to allocate staffing at the national level.  The FAA has determined a level of staffing for Flight Service for each region; New England Region was allocated 154 personnel. This regional allocation would include all ATCS, SATCS, OM, ATM, staff and clerical.  The new method calls for each region to manage to the allocated number.  That is when staffing falls below the number, request a training slot at the academy and put out a bid to fill that training slot.  Bill Dolan will have more on the national aspect; I will deal with the regional aspect. Although the Union did not directly negotiate the allocation of management and staff within the region, we did come to an agreement on structure, further we identified shortfalls in personnel and agreed on timetables for replacements, taking into account transfers and retirements. As a side note, it is rather refreshing witness the discussions concerning staffing and future placements between facilities at the regional level. This is probably one of the few times the Facility Manager and Representative actively work together for a common purpose, their effectiveness as a team will have a direct impact on the facility and the customers we serve. If you have any questions about your facility staffing, please talk to your Representative. 

CALL FORWARDING

Related to the staffing issue, is the call forwarding issue.  Due to critical staffing at BDR, in a recent telcon between the region and the Facility Managers and Representatives, there were adjustments in the call-forwarding program. BTV took an additional 10% of the traffic from BDR. Also, most likely BGR will take an additional 5% to ease the burden.  I have always viewed the program we have in New England as a dynamic program that balances the needs of the customer and the controller; these adjustments are to that end.

GRIEVANCES

We have several grievances coming up to arbitration, pay issues and drug and alcohol issues. There are three pay issues, which involve the setting of grade/step of controllers upon their initial placement into flight service. The first concerns the manager�s statements to an incoming DOD controller, the grade the individual was given is in question, the selecting official�s statements indicated a grade higher than what the individual eventually received.  There was a NATCA controller transferred into our bargaining unit, the grade the individual was given is in question, there are individuals in similar circumstances in other regions there were placed in a higher grade.  Finally another NATCA controller that transferred into our bargaining unit, the step the individual was given is in question, there is an issue of highest previous rate. All three of these have been submitted to arbitration, which I hope to take place sometime this February. We have an agreement with the region to arbitrate these three grievances together. We have submitted information requests concerning these grievances.  The success of the arbitration relies on presenting information only the FAA maintains. The information requests were written to insure that the FAA fully understands the need for the information and the consequences if the information is not provided.  Further, we had a meeting with the region prior to submitting the information request, to explain the issue and our needs, also provided an opportunity for the region to ask any questions.  Frankly this was also done so that in the event the FAA fails to provide the information, a ULP would be successful.  Because the information requests are rather broad and far-reaching, it may take the agency some time to gather the information, so I would not be surprised if the arbitration is pushed back.   

DRUG & ALCOHOL ISSUES

 We also have a few drug and alcohol grievances that will be taken to arbitration. We have an agreement with the region that these will be by written brief.  The first issue deals with the agency�s discontinuing the practice of placing the test date on the top of the list; this is an issue of changing practices without negotiations and insuring random test as required by the order. The next issue deals with the "collection goal", thus the accuracy of the test list.  We have tried to work a settlement with the region, but the FAA cannot commit to providing a reasonably accurate list.  Our first offer was the list would not contain personnel actions greater than 90 days.  The agency indicated that would not be possible, next we offered 120 days.  That is the test list shows no personnel actions more than four months, this too the agency felt would not be possible.  There was even a thought by the agency that they would not be able to produce a list that shows no personnel actions greater than 180 days, a half of a stinking year.  It will be up to the arbitrator will determine what is reasonable.  We also have two grievances concerning using a test list that was out of date and invalid, more to follow.

That is all for now, if you have any questions, please call, or if there are any rumors around, before they go too far, give me a call, 860 302 8401.

Kurt

Happy New Year to all of our Union Brothers and Sisters and their families. We hope everyone had a wonderful time during the Holidays and that 2002 is a great year for each of you and the Flight Service option.

This year presents many opportunities. It is important that the Union focus on getting the job done. That starts with internal identification and clarification of policies, practices and expectations, to include everything from job descriptions, public relations, finances, and support to our field members and facilities. There must be a vision of where we hope to see Flight Service as part of the nation�s Air Traffic Control System. Short-term, as well as long-term, goals will need to be identified.

It is equally important that we, as a Union, promote a unified commitment toward the successful accomplishment of our endeavors. Southern Region Officers have several meetings to attend during the month of January, including the Board of Directors meeting January 15-17 in Washington, D.C. A Labor / Management Council Meeting is scheduled for January 22 in Atlanta. Additionally, the regional quarterly may need to be rescheduled.
We�re still waiting for several IOU�s from our previous quarterly in the Regional Office. It is disturbing that information was not made available during the meeting, even more now at the end of December. Confidence in our new relationship has been impeded, yet dialogue continues, paperwork will follow, if necessary. If you have not received settlement agreements or an action item that was addressed at the quarterly, we should be notified. Several issues are currently being worked with ASO-540.

Information from ATX, national, indicated that each region was given 20 hours of Time-Off Awards for each Flight Service staff and operational personnel, per facility. I asked the region to take the lead in standardizing a regional award to our bargaining unit. Unfortunately, they elected to let individual managers determine the awards, if any.

Naturally, the Icon, Richard Post, has taken the lead and given every bargaining unit member at BNA AFSS 10 hours. Anything less at the rest of our facilities will be unacceptable. I will be asking our Division Manager why 20 hours was not given. Additionally, an information request will follow in order to find out what other regions did with their pot of Time-Off Awards.

Below you will find the Time-Off Awards given in the Southern Region. Many facilities excelled, while the predictable facilities missed the mark significantly. These figures illuminate exactly my interest in getting the region to recognize the efforts in Flight Service during our national crisis. While it is often stated that no one wants to appear to be taking advantage of a crisis or getting something extra for basically "doing the job," such is clearly not the case for Flight Service. While the other options were shut down, Flight Service was asked to do three times the work under extraordinary and confusing circumstances. There is not doubt in my mind, we are not asking for a handout!