Against the Wind - National Air Traffic Controllers Association

James R.
Schwitz
Air Traffic Control
Specialist
1982 — Pr e s e n t
Op e r a t i n g in i t i a l s: RV
HOm e t O w n : Fayetteville, Georgia
NATCA archives
sp O u s e / CHildre n:
Pamela / Taylor, Sam, Chad, Nicole
Grandchildren: Breanna, Michael
Ot Her tr i v i a:
Longest-serving member of the
National Executive Board
in t e r e s t s:
Golf, skiing, riding his Harley
ATC FACiliTies
Cu r r e n t:
pr e v i O u s:
ZTL Center
Randy Schwitz developed a kinship with aviation
as a boy when he accompanied his dad, a
controller, to work and discovered the challenging
variety of the job. At home, he sat on a swing set
watching planes thunder overhead after taking off
from Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta. The family’s
home bordered the south side of the field, leading
to another diversion when jetliners began flying.
Scared by the screaming turbine engines, rats
scurried from airport property into the back yard,
where Schwitz and his father picked them off with
.22-gauge rifles.
As he grew older, Schwitz set his sights on
becoming an orthodontist. But his career plans
took a detour when he quit Georgia State University
temporarily to earn money at a local General
Motors plant in the early 1970s. Assembling
Chevrolet trucks and Pontiac Grand Prix and Le
Mans cars during the South’s sweltering summers
opened his eyes to the need and value of labor
unions. Four months after he was hired, the plant
installed fans following a wildcat strike, providing
welcome relief for the workers.
Schwitz promptly joined the UAW and was
soon elected steward of the body shop. The plant
closed a few years later and he transferred to another
GM facility, where he continued as a union
rep. However, the job’s mindless repetition eventually
drove him to apply to the FAA and he
Pr e v i o u s NATCA Po s iT i oN s / AC h i e v e m e N T s
Exec. VP 1997-2000; Southern Region VP 1990-97;
ZTL fac rep 1988-90; negotiated liaisons and tech
rep positions; spearheaded STARS, DSR programs.
hir e d
1982
attended the academy in 1982 before starting work
at Atlanta Center.
By now, his father was an assistant manager
at Hartsfield. “They’re going to run all over you
unless you form a new union,” he advised his son.
Schwitz heeded the warning, participated in organizing,
and became the center’s second facility rep
after certification.
In late 1989, he was appointed Southern
regional rep when his colleague, Lee Riley, stepped
down.
Schwitz traveled extensively during two
more elected terms and lived in Washington while
serving as executive vice president from 1997 to
2000, earning recognition as a low-key manager
with a sharp eye for finances. During his tenure
with President Michael McNally, NATCA signed
its historic 1998 contract and was granted direct
affiliation with the AFL-CIO.
The union also launched a public relations
campaign that included a television commercial
showing controllers at work. Schwitz and his
young daughter, Taylor, appeared at the end of the
spot, along with the tag line, “We guide you home.”
He rediscovered life back home after narrowly
losing his bid for re-election. Besides spending
much more time with his wife, Pamela, and their
children, Schwitz has been able to enjoy regular
rounds of golf with his father.