Air traffic controllers agree to two-year contract extension
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association and Federal Aviation Administration have reached an agreement on a two-year contract extension for more than 15,000 workers, the organizations announced Monday.
The agreement binds more controllers than ever to a performance-based pay system and allows the FAA to adjust staffing levels at airports around the country based on workload. It also modifies certain pay rules for controllers and changes several memoranda of understanding the FAA and union previously negotiated. The FAA estimates the agreement could save the government as much as $40 million over the next four years.
"The FAA is becoming a more performance-based organization, and this extension is a significant component of that effort," said FAA Administrator Marion Blakey. "This agreement helps us focus on the needs of the traveling public and the taxpayer."
NATCA President John Carr called the agreement a "win-win situation for the flying public." Union spokesman Doug Church said NATCA considers its contract to be one of the best in government.
The FAA said the agreement will help the agency achieve the goals in its five-year strategic plan and will provide a period of stability while the agency implements a new Air Traffic Organization.
The original NATCA contract was signed in 1998 and expired at the end of September. The contract extension covers about 15,700 controllers until Sept. 30, 2005.
Under the agreement, the number of controllers whose pay is tied partly to performance will increase from 37 percent to 75 percent. Controller performance will now be measured against four national targets taken from the agency's strategic plan. These targets include reducing operational errors and runway incursions, and increasing on-time performance and arrival efficiency rates.
Funding for the new system will come from money that would traditionally go to longevity pay raises under the federal government's General Schedule system. However, the contract extension does not include new base pay increases beyond governmentwide increases.
Despite lengthy negotiations, the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on staffing levels. NATCA wants more controllers, but Congress did not approve funding for 300 more workers in the FAA's fiscal year 2004 budget.
"Too few controllers are operating the system right now and we are far from seeing a bubble of hiring needed to prepare for the coming wave of controller retirements," Carr said. "The FAA believes we have plenty of controllers. But we agreed to put this issue to the side for the good of the system so that everyone can enjoy the cost savings, safety and efficiency enhancements which this new agreement brings."
Most of the memoranda of understanding that will be renegotiated during the extension cover pay rules, the FAA said. According to the agency, amended pay rules will give management greater flexibility over pay for new hires and supervisors; prevent employees who fail training after promotion to a new facility from keeping a pay raise; and stop employees who transfer to a consolidated facility from receiving a promotion in advance of reporting to the new facility.
The FAA indicated it plans to seek more concessions from the union when negotiations resume for a new contract.
"We anticipate beginning negotiations with NATCA for a new collective bargaining agreement early in 2005," the agency said. "The agency will be addressing a number of work rules and various pay provisions during those negotiations, as well as increasing the amount of pay tied to performance."
However, Church said the union will be "very vigilant" in fighting any privatization efforts.