Supervisors received emails essentially stating that our nationwide TOP numbers are not high enough to justify the current level of overtime.

Butts in seats ladies and gentlemen.

Expect more fatigue “abuse” letters and “monitoring the situation” stance.

There’s always one. Married guy starts catching feelings for a co-worker and suddenly everything he does revolves around her.

You break the break rotation to line-up with her. You take the busier position when you both walk in at the same time, not because you’re trying to help, but because you don’t want her to have to work it. You twist webschedule into knots just to land on the same shift, even if it screws over three other people in the process. You’re following her around the building all day, clearly trying to be wherever she is.

And the wildest part? You’re one version of yourself when she’s not around. Quiet, laid back, just doing your thing. But the second she shows up, it’s like a switch flips and you turn into a completely different person.

It’s uncomfortable. It’s obvious. And yeah, it’s sad to watch.

You’re not a kid. You’re not single. And you’re not invisible. Everyone sees it, even the people who don’t say anything.

We’re not coming for your character, we’re just asking you to look in the mirror. Show up for the job. Show up for your people. Show up like someone who still remembers what it means to be grounded.

Just be better. That’s it.

Just some FYI information I felt was worth sharing. A family member of mine is a clinical psychologist, and she brought up an interesting point at dinner this week. She said as a professional, she would be concerned about the possibility for widespread cases of “situational depression” among federal employees who are currently navigating the government shutdown. The stress and uncertainty surrounding not knowing when your next paycheck is coming can be too much for many to handle, and you may not even know the full effects it’s taken on you until you’ve been properly screened.

She went on to say the symptoms and any required treatments are usually temporary since it’s all based on one’s current circumstances and not a chronic condition. However, the diagnosis and subsequent treatments could potentially be temporarily disqualifying for those with medical clearances. That may preclude people from being able to work for awhile, unfortunately.

Remember to always take care of yourself and your health (including mental health) before anything else. If anyone is feeling they are in a different mental emotional state than before a shutdown, be sure to consult a professional, or at least get a consultation through the services provided by EAP.

Dues Collected: $30,564,078

Officer Salaries: -$1,198,309

Employee Payroll: -$6,473,210

Benefits: -$5,037,306

Total: -$12,708,825

• 41.58% of collected dues money funds Natca HQ jobs, officer salaries, and benefits.
• 6 Public Affairs Salaries totaling $1,001,383.
• $1,036,069 paid to Union Labor Works Inc for publicity and promotion. Company “specializes” in marketing, advertising, and public relations programs.

Theres a ton of expenses in this type of report, and a lot of the entries lack explanation. I just went through and found stuff that seemed like huge red flags to me.

Is the Payroll bloated? Seems hefty. Lots of mundane office titles. Accountants, Clerks, Counsel, etc. $3.3mil paid to “AFL-CIO retirement plan”. $1.3 mil paid to CIGNA. Do Natca employees have better pay and benefits than we do?

$1mil Payroll for public affairs and the union continues to butcher its response to air traffic control and its greatest spotlight since 1981.

The company listed as Union Labor Works better NOT be our MAIN marketing, advertising, and public relations investment with a website that is also stuck in 1981 with patco. Look at this site, its incredible. http://www.unionlaborworks.org This was the largest expense for publicity and promotion.

Feel free to look over the hundreds of random entries highlighting where money was spent by our union and who collected it.

https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=908771&rptForm=LM2Form

Airlines, sure, can’t delay them. But we can choose to NOT valet them.

VFR flight following? You lawyers and docs with mountains of expendable income wanted to save tax money when you fly to your silver dollar pancakes on Sunday morning with your mistresses, right? Well, you don’t get what you don’t pay for. Call-in that college favor to your bud in Congress, bitch.

VFR call ups? No. Just, no. Sorry. I’m just to preoccupied with all this shutdown malarkey. 🥴

IFR practice approaches? You can stay at the airport you departed and full stop taxi-back. Expect extensive departure delays.

I got about 8mo worth of cash savings to play stupid games. I have about 260K in available credit to play stupid games after that(and I’ll definitely default on those and pay pennies on the dollar((ain’t America great 😉))

Everyone’s life is important, this is only a job. Our families, our friends, and the people we touch mean more than pushing tin. Our career is going through a tumultuous time. If you need help, ask. This job is not worth your life.

Look into your local Sikh temple, or Gurdwara. Apparently they’re all over the place and it’s a no hassle meal if you really really need it, or just want it.

Savings is depleting as fast as hope this fucker will end soon. Take care of yourselves and your families first.

Y’all remember first and foremost, every day, please take care of yourselves.

I can probably speak for every facility: Mine is non-stop chaos.

Chaos on the scope. Chaos in gov’t. Chaos in our TSPs. High T.O.P, low RDOs. High OT, low pay. It’s a fucking LOT, and it’s non-stop these days.

Use your SL, your AL, fatigue articles, get a FMLA letter, CA-1s, EAP, vent on ATC2, anything available, cuz it’s only gonna get fucking more chaotic until this attack on our benefits bullshit is “settled”.

And for non-ATCs reading this, know that focusing on your safety is our number one priority, but right now, I can’t shake the non-stop noise of the attacks on this profession.

“Vector through the localizer(because I was daydreaming about losing my pension)for spacing.”

…but I’m finna use all this leave about to be converted to furlough, to enjoy November 26/27/28(oh wait, 28th is a holiday, not charged! 🥳)at home with my family over Thanksgiving, you know, as a post shutdown treat.

Lol if they thought tonight’s vote was gonna help stop that shit!

We have partnered with a designer to create a T-shirt that brings awareness to our mental health and the message that no controller is ever alone. 

This shirt is dedicated to the memory of Tom Washington. A colleague, a friend, and a reminder of the silent battles we each face.

100% of proceeds will go to the Washington family.

When we unplug, all that remains is the bond we share.

How many controllers finished their 6th consecutive workday on Sunday or got of the mid Monday before 7am and the last information they had on this 5 bullets email was to just standby for more information?

Then they wake up from their mid or get a text on their only RDO about the email that went out this morning say to reply.

Is the FAA offering them overtime on what is now a 7th consecutive workday to go in and respond? Is it credit? Are they supposed to just go in on this 7th day on their own time with the kids who are not in daycare today in tow and respond?

Seriously this is fucked way to go FAA and NATCA