I’m sorry to have to say we’re inching ever closer to the government shutting down with no shimmers of a reprieve.
The following letter was sent to the VPs and FacReps during the last shutdown in 2018/2019 and I believe you all can see where they will take the same old playbook and somehow make it worse:
Just learned that the DOT has directed the FAA that starting tomorrow, FAA is required to report absences due to sickness to DOT at core 30 towers, large TRACONs, and Enroute facilities by noon each day. It will include normal sick leave usage as a comparison.
I've offered to get our reps connected to the reporting process at the local level to provide some level of accuracy, but will keep you apprised.
Seems this is based on media reports of organized sick outs. I'm told it's not just FAA, likely TSA has been directed to do the same.
– Dean Iacopelli
What does this mean?
With the increased publicity of the shutdown and how it affects federal employees, it is imperative that ATC does not become associated with an en masse sick out or any kind of job action. Such action is a fireable offense, even with a more reasonable administration. The above policy is a precursor to the DOT directing the Agency to start taking action on employees viewed as abusing sick leave or participating in a job action.
For the benefit of everyone when this shutdown ends, it is important that ATC is seen as stepping up to the plate and not perceived as playing games with safety. Previously, articles like the ones about TSA calling in sick are not helpful when it comes to public opinion of how we handled our duties during the shutdown.
Please be mindful of expressing or sharing sentiments on social media that could be construed as a call for sick leave abuse. And please use unrecorded phone lines when calling in to work.
The White Book era showed us that management will never act out of kindness, and that lesson still holds true today. Their default approach is disciplinary and often devoid of common sense. Unfortunately, the current administration has taken this even further. We have already seen them decertify the Bureau of Prisons union yesterday and TSA’s contract earlier this year, while actively utilizing the Executive Order to reinstate “Schedule F” to weaken or eliminate other federal unions. A shutdown creates the perfect environment for them to bait federal employees into missteps, and even a small group of bad actors could hand them the justification they are waiting for to do the same to NATCA.
We cannot risk that. Losing our certification would render us unable to fight for the rights of every controller in the country.
During every shutdown, we hear about supervisors saying things like, “I cannot approve leave during a shutdown.” While technically correct, there are no paid leave statuses during a shutdown, the CBA and all MOUs remain in effect. Your rights and entitlements are not suspended during this time. All leave will be coded as furlough. Under current law, GEFTA, we will get back pay for furlough days. That will hold true as long as that law does not change.
To say being a political pawn is frustrating is an understatement. This is not the first shutdown or FAA reauthorization lapse that many of us have experienced, and sadly, it won’t be the last. None of us are here as volunteers, yet we continue to serve in one of the most vital and thankless public service jobs in the country.
Making things work in spite of adversity is at the core of what it means to be an Air Traffic Controller, and I am proud to stand beside each of you as we continue to serve the flying public through challenging times.
We will get through this, and we will continue our legislative efforts to permanently separate Air Traffic Control from the devastating impacts of government shutdowns.
In solidarity,
Amy