Controllers union endorses clean CR
11-01-2025 | 01:20 PM
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Controllers union endorses clean CR
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/1...-bill-00632076
Controllers union backs ‘clean’ short-term funding bill
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, is urging lawmakers to pass a continuing resolution.
By SAM OGOZALEK10/31/2025 06:38 PM EDT
The head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union on Friday explicitly called on Congress to pass a “clean” short-term spending bill to end the ongoing federal shutdown.
Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, earlier this week had urged lawmakers to avert the lapse in appropriations — but he didn’t endorse a specific route for doing so, saying only that, “Whatever the means are, whatever the way that they get it done, that’s what the American people deserve.”
He went a step further Friday, joining the American Federation of Government Employees in backing what’s known as a continuing resolution. The House passed such a measure in September, H.R. 5371, and most Democratic-caucusing senators have repeatedly opposed it due to concerns over expiring health insurance subsidies.
“Congress must pass a clean [CR] to immediately end the government shutdown, ensure that all individuals who have not been paid during this prolonged closure receive their compensation, and then engage in bipartisan negotiations on other pressing issues facing our nation,” Daniels said.
Controllers missed their first full paycheck Tuesday and received only a partial one Oct. 14.
“During the shutdown, these professionals are required to oversee the movement of the nation’s passengers and cargo while many are working [10]-hour days and six-day workweeks due to the ongoing staffing shortage, all without pay,” Daniels said. “This situation creates substantial distractions for individuals who are already engaged in extremely stressful work. The financial and mental strain increases risks within the National Airspace System, making it less safe with each passing day of the shutdown.”
Context: Controllers have a unique amount of leverage in the ongoing stalemate. Staffing shortfalls causing delays have attracted widespread media attention, with the GOP pointing to the issue in its shutdown messaging.
What’s next: NATCA’s position will provide additional ammo to Republicans who are pressuring Democrats to support the House’s legislation.
The head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union on Friday explicitly called on Congress to pass a “clean” short-term spending bill to end the ongoing federal shutdown.
Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, earlier this week had urged lawmakers to avert the lapse in appropriations — but he didn’t endorse a specific route for doing so, saying only that, “Whatever the means are, whatever the way that they get it done, that’s what the American people deserve.”
He went a step further Friday, joining the American Federation of Government Employees in backing what’s known as a continuing resolution. The House passed such a measure in September, H.R. 5371, and most Democratic-caucusing senators have repeatedly opposed it due to concerns over expiring health insurance subsidies.
“Congress must pass a clean [CR] to immediately end the government shutdown, ensure that all individuals who have not been paid during this prolonged closure receive their compensation, and then engage in bipartisan negotiations on other pressing issues facing our nation,” Daniels said.
Controllers missed their first full paycheck Tuesday and received only a partial one Oct. 14.
“During the shutdown, these professionals are required to oversee the movement of the nation’s passengers and cargo while many are working [10]-hour days and six-day workweeks due to the ongoing staffing shortage, all without pay,” Daniels said. “This situation creates substantial distractions for individuals who are already engaged in extremely stressful work. The financial and mental strain increases risks within the National Airspace System, making it less safe with each passing day of the shutdown.”
Context: Controllers have a unique amount of leverage in the ongoing stalemate. Staffing shortfalls causing delays have attracted widespread media attention, with the GOP pointing to the issue in its shutdown messaging.
What’s next: NATCA’s position will provide additional ammo to Republicans who are pressuring Democrats to support the House’s legislation.
11-01-2025 | 01:28 PM
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Nov 1, 2025
Brothers and Sisters,
I realize your frustration is growing each day that you continue to work without getting paid. If I was asked, it would be an arduous task to think of any time in my life that I could recollect a group of workers or people that were the best in the world at what they do, and yet treated so poorly.
I want to thank David Westermayer from BOS for taking on the job of being our leaf letting captain. NATCA New England members from BGR, BED, BOS, A90, and ZBW along with furloughed members of Region X sacrificed their one day off this past week educating the flying public about the impacts of the shutdown. David has organized another day of leaf letting for November 6th.
Yesterday, NATCA released a message to pass a clean continuing resolution. The National Executive Board has met every day at 5 pm if not more since five days before the shutdown. The board realized during that meeting it was imperative to pivot and change our message. We understand that this shutdown is not like the one our workforce endured in 2018-2019. The exhaustion of short staffing has been exacerbated. The amount of time we spend supervising the operation has increased. The financial situations of our controllers and their families are under more stress than six and a half years ago. You and your families should not be forced any longer to endure the adverse effects of this shutdown.
That message is not about politics. It is about one thing, and one thing only; demanding that our members be paid for the work they’ve done.
I’ve had more interactions with our workforce in the past thirty one days than I probably have had all year. I want to say to anyone reading that may not have been present for a conversation, visit, or briefing that NATCA has resources that can help you through financial hardships. Our union has on its webpage an entire document that can assist you in your well being. You do not have to go through this alone. I especially can’t stress that enough to our young workforce. You can reply to this email, check our Discord, or contact your FACREP.
HK
Nov 1, 2025
RVP Update
From Kevin Curtiss, NATCA New England Region RVP
Brothers and Sisters,I realize your frustration is growing each day that you continue to work without getting paid. If I was asked, it would be an arduous task to think of any time in my life that I could recollect a group of workers or people that were the best in the world at what they do, and yet treated so poorly.
I want to thank David Westermayer from BOS for taking on the job of being our leaf letting captain. NATCA New England members from BGR, BED, BOS, A90, and ZBW along with furloughed members of Region X sacrificed their one day off this past week educating the flying public about the impacts of the shutdown. David has organized another day of leaf letting for November 6th.
Yesterday, NATCA released a message to pass a clean continuing resolution. The National Executive Board has met every day at 5 pm if not more since five days before the shutdown. The board realized during that meeting it was imperative to pivot and change our message. We understand that this shutdown is not like the one our workforce endured in 2018-2019. The exhaustion of short staffing has been exacerbated. The amount of time we spend supervising the operation has increased. The financial situations of our controllers and their families are under more stress than six and a half years ago. You and your families should not be forced any longer to endure the adverse effects of this shutdown.
That message is not about politics. It is about one thing, and one thing only; demanding that our members be paid for the work they’ve done.
I’ve had more interactions with our workforce in the past thirty one days than I probably have had all year. I want to say to anyone reading that may not have been present for a conversation, visit, or briefing that NATCA has resources that can help you through financial hardships. Our union has on its webpage an entire document that can assist you in your well being. You do not have to go through this alone. I especially can’t stress that enough to our young workforce. You can reply to this email, check our Discord, or contact your FACREP.
HK
11-02-2025 | 08:41 AM
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You know, the government fiscal year was changed from 1July to to 1 October some time back in the 70s to give Congress an extra 3 months to get the budget done. Maybe we ought to keep it in session and compel attendance from August until they actually do get a budget passed for the next FY. Perhaps keeping them in DC while their political opponents were free to campaign at home unopposedwould give them incentive to fo their jobs more promptly. It’s not like they aren’t going to have to pass a budget eventually
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the partial federal government shutdown enters its third week in the U.S., Americans’ approval rating of Congress has declined by 11 percentage points to 15%, similar to approval a year ago. Nearly four in five U.S. adults, 79%, now disapprove.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the partial federal government shutdown enters its third week in the U.S., Americans’ approval rating of Congress has declined by 11 percentage points to 15%, similar to approval a year ago. Nearly four in five U.S. adults, 79%, now disapprove.
11-02-2025 | 09:54 AM
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From: A320 FO
You know, the government fiscal year was changed from 1July to to 1 October some time back in the 70s to give Congress an extra 3 months to get the budget done. Maybe we ought to keep it in session and compel attendance from August until they actually do get a budget passed for the next FY. Perhaps keeping them in DC while their political opponents were free to campaign at home unopposedwould give them incentive to fo their jobs more promptly. It’s not like they aren’t going to have to pass a budget eventually
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the partial federal government shutdown enters its third week in the U.S., Americans’ approval rating of Congress has declined by 11 percentage points to 15%, similar to approval a year ago. Nearly four in five U.S. adults, 79%, now disapprove.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the partial federal government shutdown enters its third week in the U.S., Americans’ approval rating of Congress has declined by 11 percentage points to 15%, similar to approval a year ago. Nearly four in five U.S. adults, 79%, now disapprove.
11-02-2025 | 07:31 PM
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From: Volleyball Player
11-02-2025 | 07:33 PM
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From: Volleyball Player
This seems reasonable. They don't get paid and they get locked in the chamber until they pass all appropriations bills. Sadly since they make the laws instead of us, I think we'll just keep passing CRs instead of real budgets until the dollar loses the last 2% of it's value (since 1913.)
Shutting down everything, shut down military, ATC, everything...that would get it passed in a day. Just think if they couldn't fly back home because there was no ATC.
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