A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/736089
LABOR REL ATIONS DEPARTMENT NATCA REACHES AGREEMENT WITH FAA REGARDING REVISED FAATP After more than two years of collaborati on and negotiation, on Sept. 29, 2016, NATCA and the FAA signed an MOU regarding the FAA's revisions to its travel policy (the FAATP). Due t o NATCA's efforts, the Agency made several beneficial changes to its draft FAATP along the way, and withdrew p roblematic proposed revisions. Further, the MOU between NATCA and the FAA grants NATCA BUEs such rights as paid return trips home every thirty day s on long - term travel, as well as other opportunities for return trips if BUEs can show a cost savings to the Agency over remaining at the travel location on non - workdays; subsistence expenses when traveling 40 or more miles from the official station; paym ent for local mileage while at the FAA Academy; and a mechanism by which to a ddress lowered per diem rates. The MOU is effective immediately. POCs: Region X RVP Mike MacDonald, Eastern Region RVP Dean Iacopelli, Director of Labor Relations Ryan Smith, Assi stant Director of Labor Relations Erina Hammond, Labor Relations Representative Melinda Kim, FAATP Representative Beverly Cook, FAATP Represe ntative Mike Hull, and FAATP Representative Scott Odle . VOICE SWITCHING HEADSET NATCA and the FAA have collabora ted in updating new headsets under the Voice Switch Headset (VSH) program . The VSH program was conceived in 1996 to address operational and logistics support shortfalls related to air traffic controllers' headsets when tone protection was introduced a nd he adsets were standardized. By 2000, approximately 20,000 headsets were replaced. Obsolesces and technological changes have resulted in changes to head set models, but not to styles. The parties' collaborated on the updated list. The following headset models are obsolete and are no longer supported: H91/H91N – monaural "muff" style with noise canceling; H101/H101N – binaural "muff" style with noise canceling; CA12CD – wireless headset base; H31N – monaural "in ear" style with noise canc eling. There are no cha nges to the following models: H31CD – most widely used by approximately 80 percent of the workforce; SDS1046 – infrequently used, but applicable to emergency transceivers; H251 - CD – monaural "muf f" style, non - noise canceling. The following are new headset models available for selection: H251N - CD – monaural "muff" style with noise canceling; H261N - CD – binaural "muff" style with noise cancelin g. Plantronics will remain the FAA's contrac tor as it has been since 1999. NATCA NVS and NEXCOM Representative, Jon S hedden, has worked closely with the Agency on the current VSH program, and will continue to collaborate at the national level. Headset replacements will occur at the local level. Implementation of the revised headset selection is scheduled for mid/late Oc tober. POCs: Labor Relations Representative Melinda Kim and Jon Shedden . BRIEFING REQUESTS On Oct. 4, 2016, NATCA requested a briefing on AIT Reorganization. We are currently waiting for a response from the Agency regarding our request. POCs: Assistant D irector of Labor Relations Nicole Vitale and Labor Relations Coordinator Kendal Manson .