The FAA Follies

I know, I know… just a couple of months ago I was saying the same thing. And back then, the only reason I ran my endorsement here on the Follies was because I was frozen off of the NATCA BBS for a while.

I still think the same thing- that I’d much prefer to keep NATCA’s internal union business within the NATCA BBS, and not bring it here to the Follies. Here’s the thing, though- I believe very strongly that we should elect Ruth Marlin. I’d hate it if she lost in a close vote and I thought to myself that I didn’t do what I could to help her get elected.

Below is what I think, but I do urge you to check out both Ruth’s campaign web site (www.ruthmarlin.com) and Paul’s campaign web site (www.team4thefuture.com) and see for yourself. I’m confident that if you look at both, and think about it, you’ll draw the same conclusion I did. Also, if you didn’t make it to a campaign forum, try and find a video of one of them (I’ll try and dig up some links) and set aside an hour or two and watch them. Endorsements- even mine!- should only count for a little of your decision-making process. All NATCA members should do a little research of their own and then be sure to VOTE!

To those of you who supported Pat Forrey and voted for him, I think your choice is simple. If you honestly believed that he was the best choice for NATCA President, you presumably respected his views and thought those views to be the wisest and best of the three candidates. The fact that Pat now supports Ruth leads to a pretty inescapable conclusion- that’s how you should be voting as well.

Look at it this way- Ruth got Pat Forrey and John Carr to agree on an internal NATCA political viewpoint. That, folks, is a heck of an ability to build consensus!

I know there’s a lot of folks voted for Paul and/or who’re voting for him this time around, too. To you guys, I say this: I understand and respect your views. They’re just wrong, is all. Please give this post a good read and think about it. (If you still have to vote for Paul, I understand, and no hard feelings of course!)

It’s not that Paul Rinaldi is a bad guy in any way. I’m not going to trash on him; not my style when it comes to a union brother. We have enough of that in NATCA (sadly, even a little bit in Seattle Center’s local).

Here’s what I wrote back in June about Paul:

We turn, then, to Paul Rinaldi- another great guy whose dedication to our union cannot be questioned. Paul has held a number of jobs and brings a more old-school, labor-relations-oriented approach to the job. In the campaign appearances I went to, Paul emphasized his desire to keep NATCA focused on working labor issues. His campaign site (run jointly with Trish Gilbert, a candidate for EVP) mentions unionism and the overall labor movement.

I think that all of these things are actually quite important, and I’m personally advocating some of the same stuff in my own upcoming campaign for FacRep at Seattle Center, but the reality is that we cannot stop here. We have to think AHEAD of the other guys and we have to recognize that in the federal sector, relying upon the traditional LMR process is a pathway to failure if we’re stuck with an Administration that refuses to play by the rules or live up to their signature.

Paul did some great stuff and advocated good programs as EVP (such as his push for the “Boots on the Ground” program), and frankly I wish he were still in that role (EVP) or running for an RVP slot. He’s not, though; he’s running for President, and it’s my belief that his vision is a bit too limited at this time for that role.

I’ve had more time to consider this and there’s another point that I want to make. I have read a great deal from Paul’s supporters (who, despite being fewer than Ruth’s according to the voting, are certainly outspoken- I would expect nothing less from controllers!) that suggests that Paul’s strong LMR credentials are exactly what NATCA needs in a President.

But you know…, they’re wrong. Not about Paul’s strong LMR credentials; he’s been there, done that, got the scars and the T-shirt.

Here’s the thing, though…. the NATCA President doesn’t actually wind up handling a lot of LMR stuff. In fact, the NATCA President (if NATCA’s doing its job properly) handles very LITTLE negotiating and grievance fighting and arbitration advocacy.

Those are jobs that fall to the RVPs, the arbitration advocates, and to the most basic (and in many ways the toughest) job in NATCA, that of Facility Representative.

Sure, when it’s contract negotiation time (and it appears that whoever is elected will be heading up or directing our next contract negotiation team) the President has to be able to handle some of those kinds of duties.

But the reality is that NATCA’s structure is such that the National Convention body and the NEB (between Conventions) sets the policy, and the President is our public face in implementing that policy.

The President is also intimately involved in planning that policy, in formulating our agenda for the future, and in working directly with as many decision-makers (Congress, Department of Transportation, White House, FAA, airlines, aviation advocacy groups, etc.) as possible.

It’s for this reason that Paul’s admittedly strong LMR credentials don’t impress me nearly as much as the most qualified person for NATCA President- Ruth Marlin. Ruth is definitely the person we need in the role of President. I like Paul, but Ruth definitely has more experience in the types of things that the NATCA President is called upon to do.

Here’s some excerpts from my previous endorsement:

[Ruth Marlin is] also an engaging, entertaining speaker who would be a terrific representative of NATCA. She’s got over a decade of experience working at the national level from her time in Washington DC in a variety of roles, including 6 years as Executive Vice President. She ran the union’s business well when she was the EVP, and her clear communication style works for the union.

…

You know how we’ve been facing a massive rush in retirements, and the staffing shortfalls we’re facing as a result? Of course you do- you’re the ones living the effects of it, from longer stints on position to not enough instructors for all the trainees to dramatically reduced leave openings. We, the controllers working the boards, are the ones missing our kids’ piano recitals and soccer games. We’re the ones who have 15, 18, 20 years in the FAA but can’t get two straight weeks off for vacation between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Well, Ruth Marlin forsaw that, and actually did research and took action on this issue. She called attention to it and predicted it… ten years ago. She wrote about controller retirements and brought it up as an issue back in 1999.

In her appearances at campaign forums, Ruth talks about the importance of moving NATCA back into a position of leadership and respect in the overall aviation community. She knows that putting NATCA into the forefront of discussion about issues like NexGen, fatigue, infrastructure planning, and staffing will help the union represent its members far better than a reactive stance will.

…

This type of preplanning, this type of outlook, is exactly what our union needs. We need someone who has been there, done that in terms of national leadership, and Ruth’s got the t-shirt. We need someone who isn’t afraid to fight battles when needed, and Ruth’s got the scars to show she’s done that, too.

Our members and our reps need the backing of a fierce, smart leader in Washington DC. Ruth Marlin will provide that leadership. She has devoted years of her life to our union, spending countless hours furthering her education so she could help fight our battles. She knows that the best way to win a fight is accomplished before the actual fighting, through preplanning and preparation.

Ruth Marlin is quite simply the most qualified, smartest, and best candidate for President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. I urge you to cast your ballot for Ruth Marlin.

Here’s a video that demonstrates what I’m talking about:

That’s who I want appearing in front of Congress for me. That’s who I want going into Senator’s offices and making a pitch for our union. That’s the kind of leadership thinking I want. She’s not just talking about going in and fighting against facility closings and consolidations and splits; she’s talking about putting NATCA into a position of leadership and respect well before those things come up.

The point is that by doing so, when those things happen, we’re not just stuck playing defense. Yes, we are going to need to do some LMR. Sure, we’re going to be negotiating a contract in a few years. (Pray for the continued health of Mr Barry Krasner.) But the reality is that the NATCA President isn’t going to be banging away at facility managers or doing arbitrations; the NATCA President has people for that.

The things that the NATCA President really needs to be doing- preplanning, creating and joining coalitions and relationships, guiding policy and seeing coming trends, establishing and building the union’s credibility on ALL kinds of aviation issues- these are the types of things that (no disrespect intended towards Paul or anyone else in the union) Ruth Marlin is superb at.

All this leads me to the same conclusion I came to a couple of months ago: I strongly, strongly urge each and every NATCA member to be sure to vote in the runoff election, and I strongly, strongly urge you to vote for Ruth Marlin.