Getting us Back to the Basics/My Beliefs

I believe in collaboration when both parties have meaningful dialogue and can problem solve. It does typically end with a better product.
I also believe when meaningful dialogue fails to occur, we have an obligation to follow the traditional methods through Article 8 & Article 9. Parts of our Union have failed that over the past several years to act which has forced some of our facilities and members to work with undesirable agreements or arrangements.

Since I was hired in 2003, I have not once lost my currency even when I was detailed for extended periods while we implemented ATSAP.
It’s time for our Union to get back to the basics of being connected and representing the workforce. It is our workforce that feels the pain everyday of being short staffed with limited resources.
I feel as if a lot of our leadership has lost that connected feeling and will use my position to support policy change so that MOST of our article 114 reps go back to the facility, re-certify, and remain current or vacate the position. We are first and foremost Air Traffic Controllers, and we lose credibility when we have people working on projects that no longer key the mic. If you aren't keying the mic, you don't get the luxury of saying you are an Air Traffic Controller or say you work at a facility that you have not stepped foot in for years.

I believe our Union needs to be more fiscally responsible. I will support fiscal responsibility.
I believe we should allow every opportunity for training and events that bring Unionism and growth, I do not believe in exorbitant dinners and bar tabs.

Michael

Redmond

NATCA EVP Candidate

EXPERIENCE

GOALS

Survey Link

Vote Redmond 4 NATCA EVP

I have been in the FAA for a little over 21 years and have done Air Traffic Control since 1997. I was hired in the Green-Book days, lived with the ridiculousness of the White-Book, and had the fortune of being mentored by people like Victor Santore, Rick Baugh, Bryan Zilonis, Barry Krasner as well as numerous others. I had the pleasure of holding numerous positions which helped me to become well-rounded, however I was labeled a "War time Rep" and I felt like I was not as effective as I was prior to 2011, I was also newly married with a newborn son. I decided to pull back and focus more on my family and working traffic. Once I did that, time and union politics seemed to transition me more to exile, or as many felt in the 2010's... blackballed. To be honest, I was fine with that, I was proud of the work I had done for NATCA and was happy to continue with my focus on family.

A quick background about my family, my son is 13 years old and is one of mine and my wife's proudest accomplishments. My wife, Nicole Paider, is also an Air Traffic Controller, who has been in the FAA since 2006 and was one of the White-Book's 1440. She has worked at ZFW, ZTL, ZUA, ZJX and numerous approach controls while in the Air Force prior to her FAA employment.

We wanted to focus on raising our son and just work our traffic and go home. That was our full intent when we transferred to ZJX. However, as most of the country has heard, ZJX has experienced a complete breakdown of staffing and the work environment has been labeled as toxic. Over the past few years, as I watched our home life deteriorate because of our work environment, large increase of traffic, 6-day work weeks, high stress levels, etc. It all seemed to be the opposite of what I was hired into and worked so hard in the early part of my career to improve on and build. I felt obligated to get involved and try to make a difference locally. I was taught, by my mentors, and truly believe that we must leave our work environment and Union better than we found it, and I clearly do not feel that as we currently sit, we are.

I found from talking with some of my friends throughout the country that this feeling and poor working environment wasn't just a facility or two, but numerous facilities. I have had friends, who worked in the FAA at level 12's, transfer to go to the DOD, multiple co-workers at ZJX that simply had enough and quit due to the environment. This was unheard of 20 years ago. Clearly, some of our representatives, upper FAA management, and our leadership are not living some of the same lives we are. I want us to get back to the basics of what NATCA was founded on, improving our work conditions, pay, leave and entitlements. We need to also return to the work/life balance that our high stress job demands so that we are clearheaded when we are at work.

Therefore, I am proud to be running for Executive Vice President for NATCA and am grateful for you taking the time to explore your options. I am hopeful of your vote to allow for you to let me represent you!