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Against the Wind - National Air Traffic Controllers Association

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186<br />

<strong>Against</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Wind</strong><br />

Martin Cole: The Washington Center controller<br />

was a technical rep on Data Link,<br />

which led to his election as vice president<br />

technical of IFATCA. / Courtesy of Martin Cole<br />

1998<br />

The woman beamed. “Yes, I am. How could<br />

you possibly know that?”<br />

“I’ve read <strong>the</strong> Koran,” Hanson replied. He <strong>the</strong>n<br />

explained <strong>the</strong>ir plight and Aby excused herself to<br />

speak with <strong>the</strong> station manager. Minutes later, Hanson<br />

and Cole were sinking into <strong>the</strong>ir seats on <strong>the</strong><br />

flight and breathing long sighs of relief.<br />

A subsequent trip to Taipei, Taiwan, where<br />

Cole was elected executive vice president technical,<br />

went much smoo<strong>the</strong>r. In his new role, he once<br />

again endured a steep learning curve to absorb information<br />

about a wealth of projects besides Data<br />

Link. He also felt an added obligation to represent<br />

NATCA at its best to help set <strong>the</strong> stage for future<br />

U.S. involvement in <strong>the</strong> group.<br />

Although some members from o<strong>the</strong>r nations<br />

worried about <strong>the</strong> United States dominating decisions,<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir fears were allayed by<br />

Cole’s knowledgeable and<br />

even-handed manner.<br />

In 2001, James Ferguson,<br />

<strong>the</strong> former Northwest<br />

Mountain Region vice<br />

president, was elected deputy<br />

president of IFATCA.<br />

Two o<strong>the</strong>r union members<br />

serve on IFATCA committees.<br />

Barry Krasner is chairman<br />

of Standing Committee 6, which deals with con-<br />

Feb. Feb.<br />

19<br />

President Michael McNally, Executive VP Randy Schwitz and<br />

former General Counsel William Osborne Jr. appear before <strong>the</strong><br />

AFL-CIO Executive Council to request direct affiliation.<br />

22<br />

stitution and administrative policy. Southwest Region<br />

Vice President Mark Pallone is a member of Standing<br />

Committee 3, which is responsible for finance.<br />

NATCA sees its continuing representation in<br />

<strong>the</strong> international organization as an<br />

important element of its mission<br />

to help shape aviation policy.<br />

“If our voice isn’t heard<br />

out <strong>the</strong>re in <strong>the</strong> world, we’re<br />

going to have to bear <strong>the</strong><br />

brunt of <strong>the</strong>se ICAO regulations<br />

when <strong>the</strong>y come back<br />

though <strong>the</strong> FAA,” Cole says.<br />

“The U.S. view of air traffic<br />

control needs to be out <strong>the</strong>re.”<br />

Breaking Away<br />

While <strong>the</strong> union’s reputation and influence<br />

propelled it to new heights in <strong>the</strong> aviation industry,<br />

NATCA felt <strong>the</strong> weight of a ball and chain gripping its<br />

ankles in <strong>the</strong> house of labor. The union was growing<br />

increasingly disenchanted over its affiliation with <strong>the</strong><br />

Marine Engineers Beneficial <strong>Association</strong>.<br />

The union that had provided NATCA with<br />

manpower, political contacts, and $1.9 million to organize<br />

and prosper after certification was now sinking<br />

under dwindling membership, serious financial<br />

problems, and fallout from a racketeering trial. Five<br />

More than 250 participants attend “NATCA in Washington.”

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