I don’t think we’re in disagreement. My point was that lobbying is OK for FAAMA* as much as it is for NATCA. FAAMA* does get some duty time to attend conventions each year, otherwise AFAIK, all their activities are conducted off duty time.

I agree with you that FAAMA* and NATCA should conduct themselves in accordance with the laws and regulations when it comes to lobbying. I think both groups should be very careful with the way they use FAA resources so as to not run afoul of the law.

*I am not a member of FAAMA nor to I speak for them or represent their interests.

Are you saying that the FAAMA members do such things?

No part of the money appropriated by any enactment of Congress shall, in the absence of express authorization by Congress, be used directly or indirectly to pay for any personal service, advertisement, telegram, telephone, letter, printed or written matter, or other device, intended or designed to influence in any manner a Member of Congress, a jurisdiction, or an official of any government, to favor, adopt, or oppose, by vote or otherwise, any legislation, law, ratification, policy, or appropriation, whether before or after the introduction of any bill, measure, or resolution proposing such legislation, law, ratification, policy, or appropriation; but this shall not prevent officers or employees of the United States or of its departments or agencies from communicating to any such Member or official, at his request, or to Congress or such official, through the proper official channels, requests for any legislation, law, ratification, policy, or appropriations which they deem necessary for the efficient conduct of the public business, or from making any communication whose prohibition by this section might, in the opinion of the Attorney General, violate the Constitution or interfere with the conduct of foreign policy, counter-intelligence, intelligence, or national security activities. Violations of this section shall constitute violations of section 1352 (a) of title 31.

What it boils down to is this: FAAMA can use their own dues money for lobbying Congress, but they’re not supposed to use any agency funds for that. No computers (for email), no copiers, etc.

The reality is that this prohibition is ignored, and in fact FAAMA is often used as little more than another lobbying organization by the leaders of the FAA. John Carr highlighted numerous examples of FAAMA using FAA email addresses and computers for lobbying efforts on his blog.

The simplest way for the FAA to steer clear of any violations would be for the agency to quit giving official time to FAAMA. That’s about as likely to happen as for the FAA to treat all managers the same way they treat all employees.

On or about January 15th at ISP the ILS for Rwy 06/24 was changed. No longer are the OM used, but went to a GPS approach. New fixes, new2 min; and Oh did I forget to mention No controller was breifed till the 21st. N90 ISP sector was breifed and were aware of the change for over a month. As I type there are controllers that still not have been breifed.

The controllers are using the old map on the radar, and were told it’s only off by 1/8th of a mile. Wish F. Lee Bailey was still alive.

The same people changed the ATIS on us without a breifing and we were not told until AF came upstairs to pull the plug on the old ATIS.

They want to indite Cheney for war crimes, how about indicting sombody for sitting at a desk and not knowing what they are doing?

FAAMA* is not a union, therefore they are not certified as such. They are an association, and lobbying Congress is one function of the association. It occurs government-wide with the Federal Managers Association (which FAAMA grew out of). I assure you lobbying is OK for the association, as is lobbying on the part of NATCA.

*I am not a member of FAAMA nor to I speak for them or represent their interests.

I am sure most people that go to blogs don’t realize that. I never use the computers at work (Even on break) because I feel part of what I blog is political in nature. I am still being paid by the tax payers while on break and blogging, reading or discussing things of a political nature could appear to others to be totally inappropriate.

Records from previous blogs have shown over and over again hundreds of hits from FAA computers. (That’s right they know if you just come here and never type a word.) It shows exactly how much free time management has on their hands. I had to laugh out loud that the FAA was worried that so many people in the FAA would be watching the Obama inauguration (INSTEAD OF WORKING) that it would take down the FAA computers so they would broadcast it. They KNOW this happens on a regular basis in the offices and are worried they are not getting enough work out of me.

Disgruntled Sup ,

We need more people that think this way and can do something to make the FAA a better place. I watch one after another management propaganda video (FORCED I should say as it is not voluntary) that really does not get it.

We can never move forward until we have peace at work. This peace can only come about from a fully agreed upon, ratified contract. Some of the things in some of the videos are some things we possibly could do, but I refuse to help out until we get a real contract. The sooner the FAA figures this out the better.

NATCATHENMANAGEMENT: You may have harmed your organization’s goals by posting your venom against controllers. It will only make controllers re-dedicate themselves to actively speak out against management weaknessness and exploitation. It is just more ammo for NATCA to get the bogus FAA management union FAAMA de-certified. That should be one of NATCA’s priorities this year. FAAMA actively lobbied Congress to go against then Sen.Barack Obama’s bill to help controllers in the contract impasse with the FAA. ILLEGAL, since FAAMA members are funded by the U.S. Taxpayer.

If you are like many in management, you probably did alot of your time consuming letter writing campaign while on CRU-X on: Management-other duties. Every now and then you would glance up at the controllers keeping the skies safe and then go back to writing another congressman or senator. I am sure the proprietor of this website has your IP address and it probably comes from an FAA computer.

You are such a *******. It’s people with attitudes like yours that make the controllers hate us. They don’t feel “large and in charge” as you put it. If we as an agency provided ANY leadership, rather than demanding obedience through fear and intimidation, they wouldn’t have to feel any way other that being ready to follow a true leader. Lack of leadership causes a vacuum and some one has to fill it.

And it “is” as you say thier salary as you put it, so why do you even care about what they do with thier money. It couldn’t be a little jealousy on your part could it? tsk tsk. we after all DID ride to our great pay on the back of the Union didn’t we. And all the time as FAAMA was trying to submarine the agreement or at least scale back the amount of pay the controllers got. Nice…real nice. So what deos that make us? Freeloaders or hangers on or something like that I “think” you might be able to get what I’m saying, but then again if you’re in management that might be questionable

And who pays everyones salaries? It’s the tax payer through the FAA that pays the controllers salaries, the same tax payer that the FAA has been screwing since time immemorial. And controllers are taxpayers. You would think that there would be some accountability there don’t you. But the FAA management from the administrator right down the the Facility chiefs don’t have ANY accountability. None. What a fine example to set for your workers eh? Nice…real nice. What would happen if there were accountability for the management of the FAA? It would be like a bunch of cockroaches running after you turn the light on. Everyone blaming everyone else. Don’t believe it? Look at what happened after Louisville. Everybody’s fault but my own. Everyone had excuses. Yeah right. We all know who is responsible for staffing. Not the controllers or NATCA. Ask the FAA they’ll tell you who in charge dammit. In fact if the FAA had listened to NATCA, then there is at least a chance that that accident would not have happened.

And you talk about a turn the FAA took and NATCA wasn’t allowed to turn with them. That was motivated by an anti-union administration that did all it could to get rid of NATCA, because NATCA made them look so bad for so long. That’s why the Union wasn’t allowed to “turn” as you put it with the FAA. Hopefully that’s getting ready to change.

And you go on to say that “FAA facilities are no different from any other government agency or private industry” Boy where have you had your head for the last 70 or so years that there has been some government agency who was responsible, (now pay attention this is the important part) for the PUBLIC SAFETY. There is no government agency or no private business like the FAA. None. So don’t go comparing the FAA to big corporations like GE, United Technologies. There is no comparison. These controllers have an awesome responsibility. That is and should be reflected in the policies that apply to them, like early retirement and a liberal break policy. (which as we both know has gone out the window)

And you say “management has the right to bring in natca if they wanted to, but why would they when natca is constantly trying to back door them in every turn they make”. What a pompous attitude that is. If you only stopped and looked what the Union is trying to do is fix the problems that we as managers make. And that has been a lot lately So stop being so full of yourself and LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN. Maybe the union is saying something that we should be listening to. The controllers feel a need to alert the public to dangerous situations. Why? Because WE screw everything up. Also when has NATCA ever gone to the press without an issue? Never.

And as far as the Unions efforts to get even being unsuccessful, don’t be so sure there pal. There is a new sherriff in town and hopefully they’ll make the light shine where it’s been dark for many a year. And I don’t think the new administration is going to have to change much to expose the FAA for the sick agency it is. And when it does, I can’t wait to see managements reaction. They’ll probably try to blame the controllers.

And you also said “controllers believe they should be their own bosses”. Well Duh..if there was any leadership in the FAA the controllers would follow it with out a doubt. But there isn’t any leadership, and if you were any kind of “leader” you would be able to see that and try to provide the leadership that the controllers want and deserve instead of gloating over the controllers current situation.

And as far as you saying “They also believe that if they are going to have a boss, then the boss should not make more money then them because THEY WEAR THE HEADSET !” Take a look around. Who do you think should or does make more money, the HEART SURGEON or the hospital administrator. You think someone deserves to be paid more because he/she does paperwork, and makes bad decisions? You my friend are the number 1 reason that the controllers hate us and the state of the FAA in terms of labor relations is so frickin bad.

Now Eagles Fan, watch and listen to the deafening silence that follows.

What a horrible set of human beings.