NAATS HEADQUARTERS EMAIL UPDATE

Volume 3, #88

August 22, 2003

We coordinated a press release with Senator Lautenberg�s staff this week. They advise that our message should be that the FAA Reauthorization bill is flawed and should be voted down. We also discussed possible compromise report language but no decisions were made. Expect Congress to take this matter up immediately upon returning from recess.

Congratulations to NM Director Darrell Mounts for his article in the NY Times. Darrel was also part of the group we had at OSH that mailed out over 7,000 post cards to Congress and AOPA. Thanks also to GL Director Jack O�Connell, EA Acting Director Ron Consalvo, Webmaster John Dibble, Harold Brooks (FOD), and Bernie Anderson (ISP) for all their work.

I�ve also been in touch with the NY Times as well as the Washington Post and we expect to be published in both during the next two weeks. I�ve also met again with OMB and ARA-1 regarding the continuing problems with the termination of our participation in the PWS, compressing the study timeframe and termination of the funding for our A76 Communications Representative Kate Breen. Hopefully logic will prevail and these decisions will be reversed in the next week.

Please keep in mind that it is very important to be responsive and accurate when the MEO requests information from the field. This is essential for MEO success if the A76 runs its entire cycle.

OASIS National Representative Jeff Barnes wrote an excellent article to Jerry Lavey who does the weekly AOA highlights. Mr. Lavey is communicating with Jeff regarding the distribution of this letter; Jeff will include a copy in his next OASIS Update.

John Dibble has posted a letter from Senator Lautenberg and Congressman Oberstar to Secretary Mineta. We are concerned about the effect of questionable FAA lobbying on the eleven Republican senators who voted for the Lautenberg Amendment, particularly Senator Inhofe (OK). Please contact these senators and help us ensure they stay committed.

The Pay Plan ballots will be mailed on August 29 and due back November 14. Hard copies of the pay plan package will be mailed to FacReps at all facilities where we have members. A copy will be posted on our website and electronic copies will be available from [email protected], upon request. The package will include the pay plan and three TAUs (Reopener, Implementation and Reimbursement of Education Expenses). The advance implementation of TAU 23 (training and official time) will not be included as it is an MOU and not a part of the pay plan or work rules. We are scheduling facility trips to brief the membership and to answer any questions.
 

Wally Pike