This is just a reminder that if you haven't put in your nomination for a Rep position (Facrep, VP, Area rep, treasurer or secretary), tomorrow is the deadline.
Forms are located in your mail slot.
Thanks,
Troy
The drug testers are here again and it looks like they'll be back 2 or 3 more times over the next week. They did "randomly" select a couple of people on Wednesday and today, and the explanation for that is due to the "cycle" of lists. The testing for Wednesday was the previous cycle (facility list) and today's testing is the new cycle. So anyone that gets tested for the next week that was tested today, will not get "randomly" selected during that time frame.
MOU Impasse
Our leave MOU impasse is at the National level where the agency and NATCA are working on guidance for all facilities on how to address Non Prime Time leave requests/approvals. Just a guess, but I'd say we'll probably hear something within the next two weeks, then we should start our schedule bidding around November 2nd.
Troy
MEDICAL
The Flight Surgeon's office can't seem to get it together, so here is ZSE NATCA's guidance in dealing with them.
1. If you have a question about either a medical condition or options for disqualifying medications, please contact https://www.aviationmedicine.com/
2. EXAMPLE: Let's say you have an issue with your back and you go see your family physician where it looks like you have a bulging disk, but an MRI needs to be scheduled. In the meantime, the doctor wants to prescribes you percocet. From here you call the Flight Surgeon's office to see what options you have for pain meds and the length in time they disqualify you, while you are at the doctors office. Then you can make a determination on what road you wish to go down for meds.
A) When you call FAA Flight Surgeon's office, 1-425-227-2300 and ask for Dr McDermott. If he's not in, then ask for Dr Jones or Dr Chapman and if they are not available, then inform their assistant of your medical situation and that you are a Seattle Center controller. NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT, document the time and whom you spoke with when informing them of your medical situation. At that time they will tell you the time frame of your disqualification from your last dose and possible follow up instructions...please take notes.
B) Call work where you will inform them of your situation or just tell them that you've been declared medically incapacitated by the flight surgeon and for how long.
The bottom line here is that we can no longer trust the Flight Surgeon's office where they are so dysfunctional that we need to document every time we deal with them.
Also please notify me or your rep so we can follow up with the flight surgeon's and the front office.
TSP BILL
The people from Foursquare (NATCA's retirement experts) have sent in a white paper to NATCA legal on the new TSP rules, where guidance should be coming out with in the next week or two. As soon as that becomes available, we'll send it out to you.
I have received the shipping confirmation for the replacement Wireless Access Point. If all goes well, the Training wing coverage should be restored by the end of the day on Thursday July, 9.
Thanks for your patience during the downtime.
We are currently in the process of repairing a Wireless Access point. Connectivity will be affected on the 2nd floor Training wing until we receive a replacement unit. Please excuse the service interruption. There maybe limited connectivity in the CBI lab area of the second floor in the mean time. Updates when available..