NAATS HEADQUARTERS EMAIL UPDATE

Volume 2, #31

May 16, 2002

NAATS Legal Counsel Arthur Fox and I met with FMCS Director Richard Barnes and representatives of FAA management this morning.

The discussion began with all agreeing that the FMCS Director is to conduct a hearing and make an advisory ruling to resolve our pay impasse. The ruling will include the percentage increase and any retroactivity. All also agreed that the few remaining pay rules are to be completed prior to the hearing. We then talked about possible hearing dates; NAATS pressed for a hearing as soon as possible. FAA management wanted to ensure adequate time for hearing preparation. The FMCS Director resolved the dispute by saying that his first available date is July 30. We then talked about how the hearing would be conducted and the FMCS Director decided that it would be no more than two days (July 30-31).

After much discussion, the FMCS Director decided that the parties would submit written briefs 30 days after the hearing (August 30). In response to the NAATS request to move the process along as rapidly as possible, he said he would render his decision within a week of the written briefs, in other words by September 6.

The parties also agreed that Richard Barnes will personally conduct this hearing regardless of when his successor is confirmed. He will have two arbitrators to assist him; one with a union background and the other with a management. He will personally render the decision and all understand and agree that it will be a matter of public record.

As I mentioned earlier, the pay rules are to be completed by July 15 in order to get to the hearing on July 30. I�ll meet with the FAA Director of Labor Relations next week to move this along. I think we�re close and we can meet the July 15 date. There was another development at the meeting but I have to coordinate with the BOD before I can discuss it here.

Although we obviously would have preferred an earlier hearing date, we�re nonetheless happy with the results of today�s meeting. I see Don Young twice next week and I�ll continue to keep him advised of our progress.

Andrea Chay, SEA AFSS, has been the NAATS Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee (ATPAC) representative for the past seven years and she�s done a great job for our membership. Thanks to Andrea and welcome aboard to her replacement - Terri Michel, FTW AFSS.

NAATS ATP Liaison Scott Malon fully intends to make his training material from the cruise and LAS available to the members. He�s having laptop problems but as soon as he has those resolved he�ll make the distribution.

Wally Pike