Kent,

You should talk to the national officers at NATCA. Since the FAA's "nontract"(last best offer and never ratified)went into effect on LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2006, the agency has stopped using rank and file controllers to help develop the new plans and equipment that will be needed in the future. That's right, the personnel who are best situated to help get it right the first time are shut out of the development process.

That's why we are still fighting the unilaterally imposed work rules on several legal and legislative fronts. This is the only Federal agency i know of that refuses to arbitrate contract disputes, and our accelerated retirement rate is the outcome. Of course, as the new, inexperienced people replace our 20-25 years of seat-of-the-pants knowledge base, the agency gets what it wants-a workforce with little experience in fighting against their foolish actions that also gets paid 30% less when their salaries max out. God Bless the new folks, after paying to go to college for this career or serving their country as military controllers, they have entered the FAA workforce at a truly inopportune time, salary and work rules wise.

Thanks for listening-go to NATCA.org and contact my national representatives, they will gladly discuss this in detail

jw

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