Seeburg220

Some things to know:

• we still don't have a contract after over 2 years now. They say we have a contract; it's not. It's imposed work rules. We didn't sign any ratified contract. THEY walked away from the table, not us. It's PURELY political. (My vote on Nov.4 will reflect my feelings about this.)
• that means YOU will earn at least 30% less than me, for doing the same job.
• some new-hires who were hired before the contract dispute, are also being paid 30% less, despite the fact they were told they would make X number of dollars.
• moves from lower level towers to bigger facilities are harder to do than in the past. They are placing new-hirers in bigger facilities, where the number of retirements are greater.
• by not having a contract, they are free to impose whatever they want on you. Grievances have been ignored for well over 2 years. Unfair Labor Practices - same. Currently, we have no leverage with them and very little in the way of cooperation, both ways.
• Remember the dozen who were fired at NY Tracon in '06 (for not checking a box on the flight physical)? That was a shot across the bow, that they were out to crush the union and impose their new "management" style on us. It hasn't worked. The controllers were re-hired, with full back-pay. 3 were fired in Washington as well. They were re-hired. Additonally, thousands have chosen to retire early. By that I mean they were eligible, having put in 25 years, or they turned 50 with 20 years, and said "enough" and left (and are still leaving). 56 is the mandatory retirement age.
• Typical shift work is: 4pm-midnight, then 1pm-9pm, then 7am-3pm, then 6am-2pm, then come back that night at 11pm for the midnight shift. Rinse. Lather. Repeat. For the next 20+ years. It's easier to do at 24 than at age 44.
• The job itself is great. The management is not.

ChinookDriver47

Dredging up an older thread rather than firing up a new one in order to ask some questions.

Anyone done the interview at Hope Hull, AL (MGM)? If so, what advice or gouge do you have? I am doing the non-PEPC route due to being on Title 32 at Ft. Rucker. I figured it was a way to show and keep both mine and the Feds' interest in the position while lengthening it out until I get off of activation.

My interview will be at the RAPCON there, but my offer was for Seattle ARTCC. I wanted the terminal, but heard center controlling was the way to go for both pay and training.

Any thoughts???

Thanks, all!!

CD

woodfinx

Best pay would come from somewhere that you are in a room putting planes in line all day (ATL, IAH, LAX, JFK, ORD). Centers make a little bit less than those guys but they pay you handsomely for forfeiting your tan. If I end up the ATC route, which i've though about, I would most likely want to go to an up-down somewhere so I could get both the Tower and Radar environments in one, some busy Class C maybe.

Controllers really don't do bad, they don't make the huge 6 digit figures like some of the international pilots do but there is a chance to make 6 figures, and working for the government you get every perk/benefit immaginable. I know they used to let you transfer facilities and keep your pay but I believe that has all but gone out the window, I met a guy that works at BNA TRACON that transfered from O'Hare and kept his ~$160k a year, not to shabby for Nashville.