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.