Against the Wind - National Air Traffic Controllers Association

29
Apr.
Schwitz, McNally, and Walter J. Boyne—a retired
Air Force colonel, former director of the National Air
and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institution,
and prolific aviation author—constituted NMI’s first
board of directors. Boyne soon resigned because of
other commitments, and Krasner was appointed in
his place. After McNally and Schwitz left at the end of
their terms in the fall of 2000, Krasner appointed Ed
Mullin and James Ferguson to the board. *
The day after Krasner announced at the Pittsburgh
convention that he would not seek re-election,
delegates voted to dedicate to him any building the
union bought. In April 2000, Anchorage convention
delegates paid homage to Michael McNally by christening
the first-floor conference room with his name.
Both men were moved by the honor. “I can’t think
of a prouder moment than to have a building named
after you while you’re still alive,” Krasner says. “That
was pretty darn cool.”
The Home Front
NATCA and the FAA agree to a revised policy concerning familiarization
trips. The replacement Article 23 provides for: six FAM trips per year,
including one international (down from eight domestic and one interna-
Even as NATCA grew and extended its outside
influence, it grappled with several thorny internal issues
throughout the 1990s. Early on, money created
an intense conflict when the union wrestled over a
second attempt to raise dues from 1 percent to 1.5
percent at its convention in 1992.
Despite the fact that NATCA did not pay off
Chapter 6: Spreading its Wings
197
* To ensure autonomy, Krasner, Mullin, and
Ferguson adopted a resolution giving the NMI
board sole authority to appoint new members.
The National Executive Board retains
power to confirm appointees.
tional); all FAMs on duty time; no more than two trips to the same airport
(the previous limit was eight); FAMs used toward annual proficiency training
requirements. The new agreement takes effect May 31, 1999.