The dreaded "B-scale"
Well, the inevitable has happened. The contract talks between the FAA and NATCA have reached impasse, and the FAA's last best offer has been sent to Congress. If Congress doesn't act within 60 days, the FAA's last offer is enacted automatically. Of course Congress may act in favor of NATCA within the next 60 days, but that's still yet to be seen.
One of the main points of interest for CTIs like myself is the FAA's proposed pay scale (called the "B" scale). The FAA wants to impose a drastic pay cut on anyone who is not a CPC (certified professional controller). And by drastic, I mean a 30-40% pay reduction. If Congress doesn't shoot down the FAA's offer within the next 60 day period, we'll see it happen.
According to an unofficial (but reliable) source on an ATC message board I frequent, Jacksonville Center's (ATC-11) proposed pay scale under the new plan is as follows:
AG (Academy Grad) $31,100
A side $36,335
D side $41,570
R side $57,275
CPC $66,000 to $94,900 (after 30 years on job)
Now, that may seem like fairly decent money. But, let's just remember for a second that current CPC pay at Jacksonville is $110,000-$140,000/year. And considering controllers hold the lives of thousands of people in their hands every shift, I believe wholeheartedly that they earn every penny of that. But, now the FAA wants to cut that pay down to $66,000/year starting. Seriously, I know restaurant servers that make that much, and I'm not kidding.
Remember the next time you fly on an airliner, flying safe and sound to your destination, that there is a person watching your plane track across the sky, keeping your plane from swapping paint with any other plane. That person behind the mic used to be respected and fairly compensated for their highly responsible job, but are now being forced to accept pay that simply "lines up with the rest of the FAA workforce." Don't worry that the majority of the FAA workforce doesn't keep airplanes from smashing into each other. They don't.
Seriously, I won't lie. If this B-scale contract is imposed, I'm very seriously going to consider not taking a controller position with the FAA. We'll see what happens. We'll know within 60 days.
In the meantime, anyone reading this should visit www.fairfaa.com and voice your opinion to your congressmen. Email, call, whatever. Get your congressman/congresswoman to act in favor of NATCA. They're now the last line of defense for fair controller compensation.
One of the main points of interest for CTIs like myself is the FAA's proposed pay scale (called the "B" scale). The FAA wants to impose a drastic pay cut on anyone who is not a CPC (certified professional controller). And by drastic, I mean a 30-40% pay reduction. If Congress doesn't shoot down the FAA's offer within the next 60 day period, we'll see it happen.
According to an unofficial (but reliable) source on an ATC message board I frequent, Jacksonville Center's (ATC-11) proposed pay scale under the new plan is as follows:
AG (Academy Grad) $31,100
A side $36,335
D side $41,570
R side $57,275
CPC $66,000 to $94,900 (after 30 years on job)
Now, that may seem like fairly decent money. But, let's just remember for a second that current CPC pay at Jacksonville is $110,000-$140,000/year. And considering controllers hold the lives of thousands of people in their hands every shift, I believe wholeheartedly that they earn every penny of that. But, now the FAA wants to cut that pay down to $66,000/year starting. Seriously, I know restaurant servers that make that much, and I'm not kidding.
Remember the next time you fly on an airliner, flying safe and sound to your destination, that there is a person watching your plane track across the sky, keeping your plane from swapping paint with any other plane. That person behind the mic used to be respected and fairly compensated for their highly responsible job, but are now being forced to accept pay that simply "lines up with the rest of the FAA workforce." Don't worry that the majority of the FAA workforce doesn't keep airplanes from smashing into each other. They don't.
Seriously, I won't lie. If this B-scale contract is imposed, I'm very seriously going to consider not taking a controller position with the FAA. We'll see what happens. We'll know within 60 days.
In the meantime, anyone reading this should visit www.fairfaa.com and voice your opinion to your congressmen. Email, call, whatever. Get your congressman/congresswoman to act in favor of NATCA. They're now the last line of defense for fair controller compensation.
posted by Brent at 2:45 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home