All,
Our Air Traffic Manager Jim Swanson has chosen to revert to the Mastersonian way of doing business at Newark Tower. I am saddened to see that all of the progress that we have been making toward restoring a healthy labor-management relationship has been destroyed by this recent move. Let me explain..
As you probably know, your friendly FLM Clifton Rushing has a nasty habit of harassing controllers while they are working on position. He also has a penchant for misstating when describing his and other controllers’ actions. On two occasions in the past year-and-a-half, Cliff has chosen me as the target of his malicious expression of supervisory authority.
On February 2, 2008, CR decided to scold me while I was working Local Control for answering pilots’ questions about the ever-confusing dispersal headings. Cliff didn’t like the fact that I was correctly performing my duties by ensuring that the pilots flew their aircraft in the right direction, so he decided to walk up on me and yell in my ear. He was so close to me that I could smell his breath. He was distracting me so much that I couldn’t hear the pilots calling for further clarification of the unclear procedure. Cliff even ordered me to stop answering questions. OK, that’s a great idea…let’s let the pilots figure it out for themselves. Anyway, he charged me with not following his orders and using foul language. Well, we all know that controllers NEVER use foul language (LOL). I was given a reprimand for Cliff’s little piece of “culture change” he decided to instill that day. Masterson backed him all the way and even had FAA Human Resources write the reprimand letter so Cliff could sign it.
On May 30, 2008, Cliff decided to target me once again. In typical CR style, he chose to verbally assault me on position while I was working a slammin’ final lovingly thrown at me by the TRACON. VAP’s, overtakes, SWAP and stops, the usual summer BS during the busiest hour of the day. Cliff supposedly obtained a release on a ORD who was stuck in a ground stop. According to witness statement (you know, those things that management likes to ignore) Cliff told the Cab Coordinator who told the Ground Controller to taxi the aircraft out of the Ballpark. The CC wrote in her statement that SHE DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE I WAS TOO BUSY. Also, there was no indication on the strip of any release time or other notation about an immediate release. So the GC taxis the aircraft onto Zulu behind a Lear 35 who was #2 to go. The CC mistakenly puts the strip for the ORD below the LR35 in the bay. As I’m doing my scan (my job you know) I recognize that the strips are out of sequence and tell the CC. She adjusts the strips, still not telling me about any specific release time for this ORD. I depart the A/C in the correct sequence and BANG – here comes Cliff..I get yelled at AGAIN while working Local for supposedly not following orders and then harassed and virtually assaulted by CR while in the quiet room. I eventually get thrown out of the building. Hence the start of my long, paid vacation away from EWR.
Moving along, I was then subjected to a FAA Security investigation for trying to protect myself from the abuse (the report subsequently vindicated me but FAA wouldn’t release it until I threatened a lawsuit). Now, 15 months later Jim decides to suspend me for the big 3-0 days. Oh well, I guess you have to protect your weakest link in the supervisory chain and this is the way to do it. I’m not worried because I’m looking forward to my arbitration when we get to cross examine Masterson, Swanson and Rushing under oath. I wish I could videotape it and post it on the web……….we’ll see……..
Jim’s actions won’t dampen my spirit or resolve to hold ALL managers accountable for their violations of contract and law. I will be vindicated of these bogus charges and the true problem will be identified and shown to the right people.
I’ve attached a quick letter that just went to the FAA Administrator from Senators Lautenberg and Menendez. This is just the tip of the spear. Take a look at the PDF.
According to Swanson, I will be returning to work after my bullshit suspension. So who wants to train me?? It’s been over a year since I talked to a plane. I’m looking forward to having a real job again! But I can say that by keeping me out of the building for this long and treating me poorly, FAA has only made NATCA EWR a stronger entity. Can’t wait for that new contract to be ratified!
So that’s where we stand right now. I’m working on an update about the current issues that affect all of us. I know that the schedule is a BIG issue. As EK’s email said, we are gearing up for negotiations but we need some good ideas. Please rack your brains and come up with something that could revolutionize the way our schedules work going forward.
Fraternally,
RY
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