All,
First up, some LR things in the works.
Overgrown Grass
The grass outside the building hasn’t been mowed in far too long. We have been told that the agency is finalizing a contract and should have this handled soon. If this proves to be incorrect, I believe we could file a grievance on this as an OSHA issue in accordance with Article 53 of our contract.
Denial of Representation
Management failed to offer a bargaining unit employee union representation during a meeting, claiming they didn’t think it was disciplinary. But it’s not about their incorrect opinion. Under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act and Article 6 of our CBA, employees have the right to union representation if they reasonably believe a meeting could lead to discipline. And when management knows discipline is a potential outcome, they are obligated to proactively offer representation, not sit back and wait for the employee to ask. That threshold was absolutely met here. (We can’t share details, but trust me, it wasn’t a close call.) Management knew what this meeting was about. They should have offered a rep from the start. They didn’t.
A grievance was filed on this and elevated outside of our building. The Agency’s official stance? They say they’ll “continue to strive to comply with the CBA.” Ah yes, the classic “we’ll try our best” approach, right up there with I meant to do my homework and my dog ate my CBA.
Cherry-Picked Grievance Replies
The Agency continues to play “choose your own adventure” when it comes to responding to grievances. Instead of addressing all the points we raise, they pick and choose the ones they like and pretend the rest don’t exist. We’ve grieved this pattern because we expect full responses, not selective storytelling.
Overtime Assignment Violation (Fatigue Mitigation Ignored)
The Agency improperly assigned overtime to an ineligible employee, violating their own fatigue mitigation rules in the process. If they had followed the rules, an eligible person (who was available btw) would have received the assignment. This grievance has been filed at the area level (Step 1) and elevated to the facility level (Step 2).
Please reach out with any questions.
DCA Thank You Letter
As many of you know or can imagine, the aftermath of a major incident brings immense stress and added workload. The tragedy at DCA was no exception. In a show of solidarity, the ZSE Eboard chose to support our NATCA family there by providing dinners for their members during that difficult time.
DCA NATCA responded with a heartfelt thank-you card, which we've posted on the bulletin board for everyone to see. They also sent packets of flower seeds as a memorial gesture for the 67 lives lost that day. We'll be distributing the seed packets throughout the areas, please feel free to take one if you'd like to participate in honoring their memory.
Airline Dispatchers Federation Event
The Airline Dispatcher’s Federation has invited the local controllers to an event this Sunday. Below is the email they sent out with the details:
Join us for a night where radio calls become handshakes and colleagues become collaborators. Mix, meet, and mingle with the professionals behind the voices you trust every day: dispatchers, controllers, and pilots.
We believe that aviation safety excellence happens when we understand each other's perspectives. Come ready to:
* Share those "wish you knew this about my job" moments
* Break down the silos between our critical functions
* Trade stories and solutions with people who get it
* Build relationships that make our skies safer (and your workday smoother!)
* Enjoy good food, drinks, and even better company - all on us!
Date: Sunday, April 27th, 2025
Time: 4:00 P.M - 9:00 P.M (My friend assured me no one is under any obligation to be there the entire time.)
Location: Copperleaf Patio @ Cedarbrook Lodge
18525 36th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98188
https://www.cedarbrooklodge.com
Dress code: Whatever makes you comfortable (though, we recommend leaving the high-vis vests and wands at work!)
Info: https://dispatcher.org/conferences/839-cfc-sea
You need to register with the link above, and it says “waitlist,” but I’ve been assured there’s plenty of room.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, now GO OUTSIDE!