It has been almost four months since PASS started negotiations for the next AVS collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and below is an update on the process.

We began our sessions with the FAA in February and have met on a scheduled basis over the following months. These meetings have been conducted in a hybrid environment: the agency joins virtually and the PASS team is gathered in person at the national office. After meeting virtually multiple times, the teams met in person at the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) the week of April 25 and received Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB) training provided by the FLRA. The IBB training and exercises provided a valuable opportunity for everyone to learn and use additional tools to discuss interests (as opposed to positions) and allows the development of joint proposals that satisfy the interests of both parties. 

As many of you are aware, Technical Operations announced that on December 5, the FAA will officially return to regular maintenance requirements. This will result in the performance of most, if not all, maintenance that was conducted prior to the pandemic. These work responsibilities are important and many would agree need to be conducted. The work of technicians we represent is pertinent to the functioning of the air traffic control system and, although technicians have been able to meet the critical and immediate needs during the pandemic, the stress of not conducting periodic maintenance could soon impact operations. This will have no impact on the normal holiday maintenance moratorium and bargaining unit employees will not be held responsible for maintenance requirements that are not within their control as it recognized that all periodic maintenance is overdue at this point. I have those assurances from the highest levels of the agency.

While this does not impact our members in Regions IV or V, I want all of you to know what PASS has been working on to protect the health and safety of the employees we represent.