|
Post by chachiman on May 13, 2015 16:33:14 GMT -5
Bravo Chachiman! Sam wants to help us, I talked to him a little bit ago... but he needs all of us our helping with the lobby effort - contact your congressional representation and any and every contact we have in the aviation community, even individual pilots can be enlisted to speak up on our behalf. Sam Neimeiser is best reached at 850-566-2036 - that's like ly the cell phone listed on facebook (I'm not on facebook, I don't have time..., sorry). And bravo Sam for stepping up, Thanks. I cannot agree more with your statements. I have already heard back from my Senator's office and they are going to go to bat for us and do what they can to save our jobs. We shall see! I have practically my whole aviation community at my airport behind us, but if the FAA finalizes this, not much anyone can do, but make it a congressional over the board vote to keep all of us working for the FAA.
|
|
|
Post by fu on May 13, 2015 18:06:38 GMT -5
Guys, This is the deal! Sam just assured me after talking and voicing our concerns to him for about 15 minutes that we would have a voice at the meeting. He said that they have a lobbyist group that will be inside at the meeting. They will be voicing the bad decision once again this will be. We can only hope this somehow works like it did back in 1996 and 2013. Also he told me that he had been communicating a lot with the airlines and UPS on the aviation cargo side of the house to ally themselves with us. He said that he also has had to chew out the NATCA representative for their attitude towards us. It appears we have quite a few people on our side again that may just tip the tables for us to retain our jobs. One can only hope though! I plan on letting the FAA know my opinions if we don't succeed though. I will not go down without a fight! Weather Observers United!!!!!! Chachiman did Sam say who these lobbyists are? I'm looking at a list of the panel participants I received earlier today and do not see anyone from PATCO mentioned. I don't doubt they have lobbyists working this but I find it hard to believe that they would be invited to sit in on a safety panel discussion.
|
|
|
Post by chachiman on May 14, 2015 5:07:04 GMT -5
I also have the list of people that were to be on the meeting and do not see FPD there, but the vendors were invited back I know and several of them are attending. I would hope that they let the contractors in on the meeting at least and the lobbyists will probably have to stay outside and hit the officials before and after the meeting. From my knowledge that is how the lobbyists usually work around meetings, but I may be wrong! Sam just told me there would be people there to voice our concerns. Whether they make the biggest impact, I do not know. It is my hope that the Meteorologists for Southwest Airlines and UPS and Kim Curry, Manager of the CWO, makes the biggest waves. If they allow the vendors in as well.
|
|
|
Post by snowspinner on May 14, 2015 7:24:27 GMT -5
I know our contractor wanted 3-5 reasons that would prove safety degradation if ATC personnel were taking and disseminating the weather observations. They were putting these into a concise presentation for the FAA so I assume that they will have valuable input.
|
|
|
Post by chachiman on May 14, 2015 8:03:54 GMT -5
That is great news! I know all the letters that I have sent out so far point out at least that many safety degradation issues if they take over. I also pointed out the ridiculousness of eliminating severe weather from determining a Service Standard Level considering the very poor performance of ALDARS at sites where it is installed. Also 20 years of experience and dedicated service will never be replaced by someone who doesn't know anything about weather and someone who doesn't even love weather like I do. We should try to get into their heads at the FAA and show them that they will never get the dedication they have with us to watch the weather for the flying public.
|
|
|
Post by snowspinner on May 14, 2015 9:02:11 GMT -5
In the letter that I sent...I talked about how the FAA is failing in their own mission statement.
|
|
|
Post by chachiman on May 14, 2015 9:09:57 GMT -5
That is good also. Who is your Senator and Representative?
|
|
|
Post by toofarnorth on May 14, 2015 14:45:22 GMT -5
Great job folks. Just remember what works with Congress is SAFETY.
|
|
|
Post by hlsto2 on May 14, 2015 15:35:56 GMT -5
would have been nice if the union had demanded the closure list
|
|
|
Post by toofarnorth on May 14, 2015 16:42:58 GMT -5
Call Sam early tomorrow someone - Alaska is 4 hours earlier than Eastern time... Sam can and will go after it.
|
|
|
Post by fzraman on Jul 29, 2015 9:19:50 GMT -5
Just a quick question! I am curious! When I look at SRMD document regarding FAA meeting attendees why wasn't there a representative from our union "PATCO" included? All I see was a NATCA Rep!!
|
|
|
Post by TCU 2U2 on Jul 29, 2015 16:54:25 GMT -5
Just a quick question! I am curious! When I look at SRMD document regarding FAA meeting attendees why wasn't there a representative from our union "PATCO" included? All I see was a NATCA Rep!! From what I hear, PATCO was denied access and the FAA portion of the panel was "not happy" that NATCA was in attendance (of course I say this tongue in cheek as none of this plan could have reached this point without the blessing of NATCA). Bottom line ... I was not there, so this was what I have heard.
|
|