Noel Linback
By Janine Murphy, Region I PR Committee Member
Coming from a union family, Chapter NG3 President Noel Linback certainly has an understanding about the importance of being a member of PASS. His journey began as a Collegiate Training Institute (CTI) student with a bachelor’s of science degree in Electronics Engineering Technology in 2003. He was then hired by the agency in January 2005 and trained as a journeyman radar technician in Providence, R.I.
Linback joined the union when he was hired by the agency in 2005, and actively attended a number of PASS-related events. He was soon approached by then-New England Chapter President Mark Dunlap, who asked him if he was interested in becoming the Rhode Island Legislative Committee representative. Linback agreed, feeling that being a union member meant more than just paying your dues and sitting back, hoping for the best. He wanted to become more active. “I feel that PASS is a great advocate for the safety of FAA employees, the facilities and aviation as a whole. I wanted to be part of that,” Linback said.
Linback was appointed as the Massachusetts/Connecticut/Rhode Island TOM representative in July of 2013, which allowed him to become even more involved in working to ensure that PASS’s contract was upheld with the agency. “I found this work to be a lot different from the legislative work, as I got to help members directly and often had a much more tangible result from my efforts,” he said.
When New England Chapter President Mark Dunlap chose to not run for office again (largely to concentrate on his other duties in the union), Linback became concerned because, if no one else chose to run, the chapter was in danger of being labeled inactive. Linback stepped forward and the rest is history. He contacted Dunlap for some advice. “Mark was very encouraging,” Noel said. “He offered his assistance to get me up to speed.” Linback accepted the challenge with grace and states that one of his biggest goals is to go forward and increase membership in the New England region, particularly in the non-Technical Operations bargaining units. “We are much stronger together,” he emphasized.
When he does get some free time, Linback relaxes by fishing, hunting, canoeing and hiking. “I am an avid outdoorsman,” he said. His goal to summit all 48 mountains 4,000 feet and higher in New Hampshire may well be conquered soon, as he only has three peaks remaining! With that kind of ambition, it will be no surprise to anyone when Linback achieves his next milestone in PASS and increases union membership. After all, it is just another kind of peak to summit and he is up for the challenge.
