Against the Wind - National Air Traffic Controllers Association

Center controller who gained attention with his
pointed speech about competition among regions,
ran together in opposition. They hoped their Midwestern
roots would appeal to members as a more
balanced ticket.
However, Gilbert’s link to PATCO, his emphasis
on professional issues over labor problems,
and possibly his age—he was 42—worked against
his bid for president. Another factor may have been
a joint campaign mailing. To save money, Spickler
relied on third-class postage and the literature did
not arrive in time for balloting. When the results
were announced on July 18, 1988, Bell outpolled
Gilbert nearly two-to-one out of more than 3,200
votes cast.
Likewise, Spickler trailed Grundmann
in the race for executive vice
president by about 200 votes. Neither
won a majority, however, because
of candidacies by two other
controllers.
Spickler campaigned hard
in a runoff while Grundmann
was hampered by a serious bicycle
accident that knocked out
all his teeth. He also suffered embarrassment,
if not voter backlash, from a letter claiming
Bell’s endorsement sent out by an overzealous
campaign worker. Bell quickly disavowed the en-
1987
10
dorsement and Spickler went on to win 63 percent
of the runoff vote.
First Steps
Even before the Atlanta convention, NATCA
began publicly asserting itself as a labor organization.
Shortly after certification, the union joined AFGE in
a lawsuit to prevent the Transportation Department
from implementing random drug testing. Both unions
contended the program violated Fourth Amendment
protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
Meanwhile, newly retained general counsel William
Osborne demanded talks with the FAA to negotiate
the rules based on NATCA’s rights under federal labor
laws.
Although a U.S. District Court denied an injunction
sought by the unions against drug testing,
NATCA immediately signed its first Memorandum
of Understanding with the agency in
October 1987. The agreement, which outlined
testing and grievance procedures, would be included
in the union’s first contract whenever it
was negotiated.
By the time Steve Bell arrived at NATCA
headquarters in August 1988, the union was in the
midst of lobbying Congress on a key issue that had
helped fuel the organizing effort. A bill by Rep. Barney
Frank, a Democrat from Massachusetts, would
Sep. Oct.
The Senate Aviation Subcommittee begins the first of at least
four hearings on an ill-fated bill that would remove the FAA
from the Transportation Department.
1
Chapter 4: The House that NATCA Built
FYI
NATCA retained
William W. Osborne Jr. as
its first general counsel in
August 1987. Osborne had
been in private practice
representing labor unions
for eleven years.
He also taught labor
law at Georgetown
University, The George
Washington University and
The Catholic University of
America in Washington, as
well as the George Meany
Center for Labor Studies in
Silver Spring, Maryland.
“I’m very proud to have
been on the 1989 union
negotiating team that bargained
the first post-PATCO
agreement with the FAA
and to have been one of the
signatories,” Osborne says.
99
Ray Spickler: The Kansas City Center
delegate attracted attention at the Atlanta
convention by speaking out against competition
among the regions. / NATCA archives
Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole leaves office after
serving since February 7, 1983.