NAGE’s New Website

The NAGE National Union has updated their website, to become familiar with the new website; we strongly urge all of our bargaining unit employees to visit the new website.

NAGE's URL: http://www.nage.org

FAA Architects/Engineers Get New Contract

The following news information is from Focus FAA – July 18:

The FAA and NATCA have reached a 5-year labor agreement covering 1,200 engineers and architects in the agency.

Administrator Marion Blakey and NATCA President Pat Forrey signed the contract in the administrator's office at 3:40 p.m. EDT. The contract was overwhelmingly ratified by union members in June after nine months of negotiations.

Forrey referred to the contract as "a great deal, a great package," and cited the 90 percent "for" vote by the union's members. Blakey acknowledged the hard work both sides put into the negotiations. "I know they're not easy to work through," she said, before adding that the contract "is undoubtedly a very fair and equitable agreement."

The contract is the second agreement FAA management has reached with labor in the past two months. In May, an agreement was signed with the National Association of Government Employees covering more than 200 air traffic assistants who support air traffic operations in terminal and en route facilities.

With the two contract signings, the FAA reached another milestone in its effort to bring more employees under its Core Compensation pay-for-performance plan. Some 84 percent of FAA employees now are in pay-for-performance plans.

The agency also stands to realize cost savings from productivity gains, and flexibility in moving resources where they're needed.

With-in-Grade (WIG) Buyout

On June 24, 2007, all bargaining unit employees were converted into the core compensation pay system. The first core compensation pay check will be PP #15, employees who are eligible to receive a WIG buyout should compare their annual base salaries between PP #14 and PP#15. The annual base salary in PP#15 should be greater than the annual base salary in PP#14.

Voluntary & Emergency Leave Transfer Program

Bargaining Unit Employees may use the FAA's Admin Computers to donate sick and/or annual leave. Below is the URL address to the FAA's Voluntary & Emergency Leave Transfer Program – Recipient’s List.

https://webapps.awp.faa.gov/ovltp/nationalsel.cfm?here=nat&title=Voluntary%20&%20Emergency%20Leave%20Transfer%20Program%20-%20Recipient's%20List/Donation%20App.

Sharan Lutz is listed as a recipient under the Great Lakes Region.

A Little Help from My Friends

Below is a copy of Sharan A Lutz' e-mail message, regarding a little help from my friends (leave donation). Sherrie is a Flight Data Communications Specialist at Indianapolis (ZID) Air Route Traffic Control Center.

HELLO EVERYONE,

I'm writing because as the subject line says I need "a little help from my friends". As some of you may or may not know I have been on Medical leave for the past several weeks and may need longer. I am suppose to be on the leave donor program but the payroll department headquarters did not show it as of yet but our local HR said that I was on it. They also said something was to be in the ZID newsletter but don't know how widely it is distributed anymore. I'm also not aware of any bulletins being posted in the reading binders either.

This is very humbling to ask you all for help but I am very much in need of help and being treated by my doctors and running tests as well. You have all been my friends for some time now and some are contractors (I'm not sure that makes you eligible to donate) but I would like to ask for your help and for your thoughts and prayers. I and my family are going thru a very difficult time and it is very painful to discuss it here in an E-mail. But, I am doing it because you are my friends and I know that you care about me and I am thankful and grateful for that.

For those of you in NAGE I don't know if you have received notification either that I am in the Voluntary Leave Donor Program either.

I just want to thank you for your time and consideration and thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Thank you! Sherrie

NATCA and FAA Unable to Reach a Settlement

The FAA reported in their news letter that despite FAA management offering "a substantial financial settlement," after almost two weeks of talks in June, the FAA and NATCA were unable to reach a settlement.