NATCA Bookshelf

P O L I C Y & P O S I T I O N S T A T E M E N T S 37 PSF-5 Reduced Work Week (4/06) The pursuit of a reduced work week is a high priority for NATCA. PSF-6 Deleted (3/12) PSF-7 Job/Salary Protection (4/06) NATCA will make it a high priority issue to protect the jobs and salaries of all of its members affected by consolidation, co-location, and outsourcing. PSF-8 Policy on Age 56 Waivers (3/12) Numerous studies have suggested an increase to health risks and stress levels associated with the age of air traffic controllers. The cumulative stress of the job has resulted in controller "burn out" thus increasing risk and lost proficiency with age, thereby increasing risks to the safety of flight. Studies have shown a close correlation between ages, years of experience and emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. Researchers have consistently found a negative relationship between the age of air traffic controllers and both training success and rating of job performance. Many studies have shown age-related decline in cognitive abilities that are most important to performance as an air traffic controller. The staffing crisis the FAA is experiencing has been predicted by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association for decades. Age waivers are not the safe solution. The FAA must hire and train hundreds of new controllers with a steady stream of newly trained controllers replacing the retiring controllers. This is critical to ensuring the system capacity can grow and meet the safety needs of our nation's air traffic control system. The risks of stress levels, potential health problems, and declining cognitive abilities are the same today that led Congress to set retirement mandates for controllers over thirty (30) years ago. Air traffic projections and FAA goals, however, are more demanding than ever. Now is not the time to jeopardize the most productive, efficient system in the world with short-term, dangerous solutions. We acknowledge the temptation of keeping controllers beyond current retirement ages but we decry this as a solution. While we admire the capable workforce that makes today's system a global standard of excellence, we must now make investments for tomorrow. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association does not support waivers to the age 56 Law. PSF-9 Local Internet (6/23) NATCA shall strive to ensure each local has access to its own stable, reliable, and preferably hardwired internet connection in each facility separate from the FAA/employers' network. SECTION G: SAFET Y, TECHNOLOGY, & EQUIPMENT PSG-1 Radar Displays (4/06, 6/23) NATCA will continue its efforts to ensure that air traffic facilities have the necessary equipment and procedures to maintain the world's busiest and most complex airspace system. These efforts include the advocacy of modern, efficient, and reliable communication, navigation and surveillance systems as well as training and procedures that ensure safety and efficiency. PSG-2 Deleted (3/12) PSG-3 Deleted (3/12) PSG-4 Voluntary Safety Reporting Program (9/10) With the nationwide implementation of ATSAP throughout the air traffic bargaining unit and the importance of the compilation of critical safety data for the NAS, NATCA supports the full deployment of a voluntary safety reporting program. NATCA will pursue the implementation of a voluntary reporting program for all represented bargaining units. PSG-5 Airport Surface Surveillance (10/14, 6/23) Surface Surveillance is critical for maintaining and enhancing both safety and efficiency on the airport surface. The development and deployment of surface surveillance should continue throughout the National Airspace System. NATCA will advocate for surface surveillance systems that include the capability to display cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft

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