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NiW 2015: VETERANS' PERSPECTIVES NiW Today n i w . n a t c a . n e t Why is NiW important? Denise: I believe NiW is the most important event our Union comes together for. We are employed by whoever is in office at the time, from Congress to the Office of the President. That makes it so important to build relationships with members of Congress, and to be able to educate them on issues that are important to NATCA. We need to be able to work together with our members of Congress, and work to build lasting relationships with each office, regardless if there is an R or a D next to their name. Mitch: There are many reasons why NiW is important. For starters, new and inexperienced activists get to see firsthand how seasoned activists interact with their representatives. They often come away with a renewed sense of ownership of our organization's issues and message. They feel empowered to be part of the solution. It really is quite dynamic, and it changed my life. Toby: NiW is one of NATCA's premier events and provides the spark for members to learn and experience firsthand how to interact with our elected officials and their staffs. As NATCA members, our working conditions are protected from our employer by a contract. As air traffic controllers, our profession is protected by the relationships we have with members of Congress. It is in our best interest to have strong relationships with our members of Congress. What have you done to cultivate and maintain relationships with your representatives? Denise: Early on it was all about constantly trying to engage the member of Congress on issues that are specific and important to them. I would regularly email them updates and information on issues. Eventually they would come to me if they had questions or concerns on air traffic and safety issues. They wanted to know what NATCA thought because they knew they could trust the information I gave them. Moving forward it is important to show up and support them as well, and get "face time" at local events. Mitch: In South Florida we continuously aend in-district events. We have volunteered for campaign work by making phone calls and banging on doors to canvass voters. We participate in events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure because it is a great cause, as well as a personal issue for our representative, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, who is herself a cancer survivor. We also aend their town hall meetings, meet-and-greets, swearing-in ceremonies, and even weddings and funerals for family members and staff. These kinds of things make our relationship personal. It transcends politics at some point. Why is it important to cultivate relationships with local and national leaders? Mitch: Cultivate means to nurture and grow. This means more than supporting campaigns. The goal should always be that when the member hears an aviation issue, the first thing that comes to their mind is, "My NATCA members will care about this." What are some of the ways you have engaged your members of Congress? Denise: I think the best way you can engage with your elected officials is to find ways to connect with them in their state or district. If you believe in the member or candidate, there is no beer way to build a relationship with them and their office than to work on their campaign. I have worked on a number of campaigns in the state of Washington (it never hurts to bring in food or coffee to the campaign staff), and aended numerous local events. Denise and Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA Mitch and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz, D-FL-23 Toby and Fmr. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-IL-21 For some NATCA members, legislative and political work becomes a passion — and a years-long calling! There's no doubt building and maintaining relationships on the Hill and in members' districts is at times difficult, but it is also a very rewarding experience. Three veteran NiW aendees — Denise Spencer (ZSE), Mitch Herrick (MIA), and Toby Hauck (ZAU) — share their perspectives on the what it means to be a true NATCAvist. 12

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