NATCA Bookshelf

The current aviation system has served us well until recent years. Unfortunately, the FAA no longer has a stable or predictable funding stream, and this uncertainty has caused many serious problems for the NAS. It is our hope that the next FAA Reauthorization bill will be comprehensive and address the stop-and-go funding that has caused serious problems in recent years. Without change, we will continue to face funding uncertainty. NATCA also seeks to use the FAA Reauthorization bill as a vehicle to advance policy provisions that are critical to the system and our workforce. For example, in the last reauthorization bill, H.R. 658, the FAA Modernization Act of 2012, NATCA was able to codify a critical collective bargaining fix in Title 49 of the United States Code, which created a dispute resolution process that directs all contract impasses to be decided by an independent, third-party arbitration panel if mediation does not resolve the dispute. That provision ensures that our members will never again have work and pay rules imposed upon them by an anti-workforce employer. We also successfully advocated for a science-based staffing study, collaboration on various issues including NextGen, participation in the FAA's realignment process, and stakeholder involvement in other FAA decisions. HOW THIS ISSUE AFFECTS NATCA MEMBERS: ISSUE: FAA REAUTHORIZATION QUICK REFERENCE The current FAA authorization extension (the second since last year) expires July 15, 2016. The House long-term FAA bill would reform the FAA by establishing not-for-profit corporation. The Senate bill, which only would last 18 months, leaves the FAA structure unchanged. Stable, predictable, and sustainable funding remains a top priority for NATCA in any long-term bill. While NATCA has concerns about Senate bill not being long enough, we see it as a positive step toward ensuring predictability for the FAA. NATCA hopes the next FAA Reauthorization bill is comprehensive and addresses the stop-and- go funding that has caused serious problems in recent years. NiW Today n i w . n a t c a . n e t 24

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