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This will be the last update I will be writing, effective today NAATS Alaska will be taking over with a new President – Alan Baker and Executive Board. I wanted to touch on a few things before I sign off. First, I’ve asked Arthur Fox to explain the ULP and results filed in regards to the arbitration agreement we all had to sign before excepting employment with Lockheed Martin. Here it is: CHALK UP ANOTHER LEGAL VICTORY...... this one against Lockheed Martin! The November 3rd letter every Lockheed Martin AFSS controller received from Dan Courain was the product of the ULP NAATS filed with the NLRB against the company last summer. It was our ULP that forced the company to rescind and then modify the Arbitration Agreement all controllers were required to sign 18 months ago in order to be considered for employment. Although Lockheed would have its employees believe that it promulgated its own dispute resolution process out of the goodness of its heart, without any prodding from a union, the real underlying purpose of its Arbitration Agreement and Alternative Dispute Resolution process is to undermine its employees’ right of access to impartial public tribunals, courts of law, and administrative agencies and to force employees instead to use private arbitrators, financially beholden to Lockheed, to resolve every conceivable dispute that might ever arise, including employee claims (ULPs) alleging unlawful discrimination or retaliation for exercising their right to engage in concerted workplace activity that is protected by the NLRB. [Note: a union collective bargaining agreement would restore this right of access and provide both representation and an impartial grievance-arbitral process for resolving contractual disputes.] Obstructing employee access to the NLRB, attempting to forbid, or even just discourage, employees from filing ULPs is, however, unlawful. And we were able to force Lockheed Martin to rewrite its mandatory Arbitration Agreement and ADR policy to include new language excepting “disputes related to workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation or covered by the National Labor Relations Act . . . or disputes under collective bargaining agreements” that employees will find in the attachments to Courain’s letter. In fact, as this case demonstrates, even though a small majority of Lockheed’s AFSS controllers voted back in June against union representation sought by a very sizable minority of their fellow employees, associate members can still obtain critical advice, counsel and support from NAATS concerning their legal rights. NAATS can still help LM controllers to secure their workplace rights despite the severe handicap resulting from its having not been formally certified by the NLRB as their workplace representative. I would like to publicly thank Arthur for all his work over the years on our member’s behalf, he has stuck with us through this whole mess and his dedication to us was never waned. The one big issue still hanging out there is the retirement issue and making people whole through congressional language. For the near term, get into see your incumbent elected officials and remind them of the issues and let them know we are going to try and fix the problem. After the first of the year when your newly elected officials get into their offices set up meetings to bring them up to speed. Once the new congress gets in place and we know who the heads of committees are we’ll be able to get more specific on representatives to contact. As information unfolds, I’m sure the group in Alaska will keep you all informed as this issue involves the federal employees in Alaska as well. The NAATS.org website will remain up until January 1st and my ' );
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address will also stay current until then. I will not be the president, simply will check the email for any messages. The contact in Alaska for transition issues is Marc Lackman and can be reached at ' );
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the new President Alan Baker can be reached at ' );
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. Denise will remain in the office at least until the first of the year, the new BOD will have to decide what happens from here. I can’t say enough about Denise and the work she has done for the membership over the years. She was not only a joy to work with, but is a good friend that I know will do well in whatever she does in the future. She will also be still monitoring and answering email from ' );
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until at least the first of the year. These past few years have been an absolute roller coaster ride, the lows were losing the fight and our government jobs. The highs are something that I will take with me, the people I’ve met and worked with in this organization are the best. We may not have always agreed, but I respect your positions and just wish we worked together until we retired from the FAA. My heartfelt thanks to the Board of Directors both those that were elected and those that filled in after there were vacancies. We laughed, cried, and argued together and I won’t forget a moment of it you are great people and I appreciate everything you’ve done over the years. I’m just so sorry that I could not write the last chapter of this mess with a positive outcome. I hope you all find jobs or whatever it is that will make your lives easier and happier in the future. Maybe our paths will cross again someday and I’ll buy you a beverage. My very best to you and your families as you enter the holiday season. Kate Breen
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