Facility Update December 11th

Hello all. We hope you are having a good December so far. This year sure seems like it has flown by.

We wanted to remind you one last time of the all member’s meeting tomorrow, (Saturday, December 12th) at 4pm. We will be conducting the meeting via Microsoft Teams. No sign up is necessary. You can use any browser except for Safari. We will be voting on next years budget, so please be sure to show up to have your voice heard. We are also interested in any other topics you would like to discuss.

Meeting link: Saturday, December 12th at 4pm

Here’s the link to the Microsoft Teams download.

Another topic that will be discussed tomorrow is the future transition to BWS. We know this is on the back of everyones’ mind so we will be sure to discuss it further and follow up with more information and speculation in next weeks update. We hope to see you all tomorrow.

In solidarity, 

Derek Adams and Amy Sizemore

Facility Update December 4th

Good Evening All,

We don’t have much to update you on right now but wanted to remind you of the all member’s meeting next Saturday, December 12th at 4pm via Microsoft Teams. Just as a reminder, you do not need to sign up for anything to make this work. You can just use it in any browser except for Safari. Since we will be voting on next year’s budget, all of Robert’s Rules (old school parliamentary procedures that all official meetings use) will apply. Please bring any concerns you may have and you are guaranteed time to speak.

Meeting link: Saturday, December 12th at 4pm

If you want, here’s the link to the Microsoft Teams download.

We will be sure to send out a mid-week update if anything new comes out.

Derek Adams and Amy Sizemore

Facility Update November 27th

We hope you all had a wonderful, socially distanced Thanksgiving. This has all been so weird, it’ll be great when it’s safe to get together again. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

All Members Meeting

There will be an All Members virtual meeting December 12th at 4pm. 

So far, the only agenda item is to vote on next year’s budget but we will for sure have an update to anything that’s going on and answer any questions you might have.

Here’s the link for that.

Volunteer Leave Transfer Program

With the end of the year approaching and a lot of people with a use or lose balance, we just wanted to talk about the VLTP program one more time. You can donate Annual or Sick leave through this program. This has to be done on an FAA computer but I (Amy) just did it and it’s pretty easy. You can click on this link or go to the FAA home website, just search VLTP. It’ll have you choose the region where the person that you would like to donate to currently works. Then it’ll come up with a list that includes all FAA employees approved to be on this program and how many hours they’re looking for. If you’d like to see a list of fellow NATCA members to donate to, here’s the link. 

BUE Recall Notice

As with everything else, information seems to be changing daily. There was an email sent out from NATCA recently reference a recall. Basically, everyone with at least one certification will be recalled to the facility. If the gating criteria does not allow the facility to train, they will just be staffing. Since this all is changing fairly quickly, we’re just working with the individuals affected directly but if you have any questions, let us know. The short of it is, lots of new people in the facility, some training, some not. Wear your mask.

Please continue to stay safe and sane. Find a small business to support tomorrow for Small Business Saturday (online if able). 

Thank you for allowing us to serve as your representatives,

Derek Adams and Amy Sizemore

Facility Update November 13th

Another week is in the books, hope you’re all healthy. As of today, we’re still in the yellow category but the case data is still trending up but there’s a good chance that will change to orange soon. If that happens, trainees in the building will continue training but no more will be brought in.

Volunteer Leave Bank MOU

Some of you may be finding yourself in the “use or lose” category for leave. If you don’t have a plan to use it all, please consider donating it to someone in need. Last week, NATCA and the FAA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concerning the creation, implementation, and administration of a new Voluntary Leave Bank (VLB) Program. If you are interested in donating leave, contact any one of the Eboard members and we’ll walk you through it. 

Mask Mandate

With the rising case numbers and constant facility level 3 cleaning costs across the nation, the FAA is cracking down on mask usage. You probably had to do the new mask eLMS and if not, you will soon. Northwest Mountain ARVP and Labor Relations lead, Josh Waggener made a good video explaining the dangers involved with not following the MOU. Give it a watch here.

Open Season

Health benefits open season started November 9th and will go until December 14th. If you need to make changes to your plan, now is the time. Here’s the link to the OPM website to make changes or compare plans. Also, the UNUM open season is still going until November 30th. This is an amazing NATCA benefit that you should definitely look into, especially if you’re the primary income earner for your family. The link for that is here.

Please continue to stay safe and stay home,

Derek Adams and Amy Sizemore

Facility Update November 6th

We haven’t had much to update lately, bidding has been going on relatively hitch free so that’s good.

Fitness Center

Fitness Centers across the nation have started to open up but only after a cleaning and distancing plan has been submitted. While Tech Ops and the Employee’s Association “own” the gym, Patrick Long has been working with them as one of our Northwest Mountain Region OSHA reps as well. Hopefully it will be approved soon and we’ll make sure to let you all know.

Veteran’s Day

NATCA would love for you to send in your pictures and we would love to see a strong Seattle Center presence. Feel free to send them directly to the communications team (comms@natca.org) with years in service and any other info you’d like to share. For instance, a memory, places you were stationed, job assignment, etc. Or, if you like, just reply to this email with you picture and info, we’ll forward it on.

Training

A lot of people have been paying attention to the website (Harvard Global Health Institute) that the FAA pulls covid case data from and have noticed occasionally that our numbers have gone into the orange level and are wondering how that affects training. We were told the FAA and NATCA will look at these numbers on a consistent basis and will notify the facility if they’ve met the criteria to be downgraded to orange or red. At that time, all personnel not already in the facility will not be allowed in. So, if you’re in, you’re in and will continue to train. If you’re out, then you will not be allowed in until we’ve been upgraded to yellow or green.

RED: 25 or more cases per 100,000 people

ORANGE: 10-24 cases per 100,000 people

YELLOW: 1-9 cases per 100,000 people

GREEN: less than 1 case per 100,000 people

In Solidarity,

Derek Adams and Amy Sizemore