A new work rules proposal offered to the nation’s air traffic controllers by the FAA, while discussion of trainee attrition rates took place in Washington, proposes “to resolve even fewer of the outstanding articles” and refuses to change position on “the most important issue: air traffic controller pay bands,” according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). As a result, NATCA has rejected the FAA’s offer, Doug Church, NATCA director of communications, announced Friday. In a written response to FAA acting administrator, Robert Sturgell, NATCA president Patrick Forrey called the FAA’s gesture “just another tactic to delay the only true resolution,” which he says would be “a return to good faith negotiations” and a collective bargaining agreement that could be ratified by NATCA’s membership. Forrey invites Sturgell to meet for negotiations and outlines an eight-point strategy with the goal of reaching a voluntary agreement or binding decision via an objective arbitration board.
