Professional Airline Flight Control
Association
Welcome
Welcome!!
Overview
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What is PAFCA - it’s history and how we came
about
Who we represent - operational control
professionals
Why we exist - autonomous and independent
representation
Organizing – National Labor Relations Act,
National Mediation Board
WHAT is PAFCA????
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PAFCA is an independent, non-profit labor organization
recognized by the National Mediation Board and
designed to protect and promote the profession of
operational control personnel. We are not affiliated
with AFL-CIO or any other governing body of labor
organizations.
Established in 1971 at Delta, the International was
created in 1999 to allow for PAFCA-DAL to expand to
other air carriers for representation opportunities.
Organizational Structure
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PAFCA International – created through the authoring
of a Constitution in 1999 to allow for Local formation
outside of the original body at Delta.
Board of Directors – Comprised of the Presidents of
each of the Locals
Chairman of the Board – current or past President of a
Local – elected by the Board of Directors to a 2 year
term.
Secretary/Treasurer of Board is appointed by the
Chairman for 2 year term.
Current Players
Board of Directors
PAFCA
International
Chairman of Board
Secretary-Treasurer
PAFCA-DAL
President
PAFCA-UAL
President
PAFCA-ASA
President
Local Executive Boards
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PAFCA-DAL – President, Vice President, 2nd
Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer
PAFCA-UAL – President, Vice President,
Secretary, Treasurer, immediate Past
President
PAFCA-ASA – President, Vice President,
Secretary/Treasurer
Constitution of PAFCA
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Constitution is the controlling document for operation
of PAFCA International.
Constitutional Conventions are held every two years
with motions or resolutions to be submitted to the
Board 4 weeks prior to such convention.
Each local will be represented by 1 delegate per 50
members at the convention
Local’s by-laws must not conflict with any portion of
the Constitution
Objectives
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To act as an effective instrument in providing strategic
guidance to Local Unions of PAFCA in improving the
working conditions, wage scales, work cycles and
schedules, retirement and medical benefits, job security
and all other benefits that should rightfully accrue to all
members.
To promote the best interest and safeguard the rights
of its members and to cooperate with other groups and
organizations in an attempt to protect the interests of
employees.
To ensure there is no discrimination or disparity of
effort in the exercise of pursuing the professional
objectives of this organization.
Objectives
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To ensure there is no discrimination in any
matter that may come within the purview of this
organization as regards to race, color, creed, sex
or national origin.
To represent its members before appropriate
Federal Agencies and undertake additional
representation and activity as authorized by the
membership.
WHO PAFCA represents
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Currently (approximately) 450 Flight
Superintendents and Flight Dispatchers
Delta Airlines- 200
Atlantic Southeast Airlines - 50
United Airlines – 200
Local designated as PAFCA-(airline code)
Dues - $2/month/member from each local
Affiliations of PAFCA
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ADF/IFALDA
Both UAL/DAL support through
payment of members dues to both
organizations
ASA – optional to members
Support is both financial and through
member participation
PAFCA officers are prohibited from
holding office in other organizations
Websites
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www.pafca.org
Links to National Mediation Board
All PAFCA Local sites
ADF/IFALDA/EUFALDA sites
PAFCA-Locals
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Author By-laws (not to conflict with
Constitution)
Membership – who’s included in the collective
bargaining group
Officers – election, term of service
Collective bargaining
Grievance and arbitration (National Labor
Relations Act)
Dues and Assessments
Agreements
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Scope language – defines the job titles and
duties of those in the Collective Bargaining
Group - who does what
Hours of work and holidays – bidding process
Vacations - time and bidding process
Rates of pay
Health and retirement benefits
Conditions of layoff and re-employment
WHY PAFCA?
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Autonomous operation of each Local with NO
interference from International
Locally produced by-laws which allow for
individual flexibility of priority - within
Constitution compliance
Dispatchers representing dispatchers – who
knows better what we find important?
Local officers – access to membership and vice
versa supports accountability
WHY PAFCA?
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You live what you negotiate and enforce – directly
impacted by your results
Dues money collected is structured by the locals
with the majority of funds remaining in Local
treasury
Locals are responsible for their own expenses –
negotiations, shift coverage, legal fees, salaries
of officers
You’re in charge!!
• Each local is empowered to control
their own destiny.
• Executive Board members are
dispatchers first, then union
executives.
• The priority and focus lies within the
Local organization and not with the
International - results in a bottom up
flow in our structure.
Organizing- How it’s done!
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10 or more persons employed in
operational control positions
Apply to International for Local Charter
with reasons for association with PAFCA
Application then goes to the Board of
Directors for consideration
Upon approval, a Local Union charter
will be issued (subject to NMB
processes)
National Mediation Board
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PAFCA recognized as collective
bargaining agent under the Railway
Labor Act
Evidence of representation dispute must
be submitted by President/Chairman of
organization
Accomplished through authorization
cards submitted by PAFCA challenging
existing or requesting new
representation
Steps
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Authorization cards are delivered to PAFCA
Is there sufficient interest to call for a
representation dispute election? (35% non,
50% represented-NMB)
Submit the cards to NMB along with
application for representation dispute
NMB then establishes a list of eligible voters
Information supplied by the employer as to
names and addresses of those eligible in the
collective bargaining group
Voting
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If NMB finds sufficient interest, election held
Ballots mailed to your home or election held
through phone balloting
Ballots will contain PAFCA, current
representative (if applicable), no
representative, and other
Simple majority of eligible voters to
determine outcome
Survey Says…..
• Election ballots are counted at
the NMB office in Washington,
DC
• Majority of votes determines
outcome
• PAFCA guidelines in review…
• 50% of eligible if unrepresented
• 75% of eligible if currently
represented
Successes…
• All Locals of PAFCA have attained Collective
Bargaining Agreements that successfully meet
the needs of the membership
• PAFCA-United has minimized furlough damage
by twice negotiating an out of seniority process
resulting in a reduced impact of involuntary
furlough – outside the box thinking
• PAFCA-United has negotiated two consensual
agreements while under bankruptcy without the
1113 motions being heard in court (minimizing
cost and unsure outcome).
UAL continued…
• Minimized pay loss by protecting pay
schedule
• Maintained hours of work at 1880
• Reduced but maintained pay overrides of
instructors, shift pay, special skills
• Established Line Check Dispatcher
positions for PAFCA represented members
with override ( originally 3, now 7
positions)
Working with others..
• All United pensions to PBGC (outside of
executive contracts, IAM)
• Defined contribution plan going forward at
6% (bought up from 4% offered by Co)
• Participated with other unions on UAL
property in areas of common interest
• Health benefits, limiting retirement
damage through consensual versus full
1114 motions
What else?
• PAFCA-Delta faced the same battle
through a bankruptcy and successfully
achieved a similar result.
• Minimized damage to membership through
creative use of negotiation
• Pension frozen but defined contribution/
401K matching plan to supplement going
forward.
Atlantic
Southeast
• No bankruptcy – sold prior to Delta
Chapter 11
• No attempts to merge certificates with
Skywest to date
• Resolved grievances including a wrongful
termination successfully
• All PAFCA locals utilize grievance,
mediation & arbitration processes as
detailed in NLRA
Getting Started/Making a Change
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Determine the level of interest in self representation
amongst your group – 50-75%?
Select a Lead or Steering Committee
Determine your goals and strategies to meet them –
how can representation improve
Communicate your ideas through discussion,
message boards or by any other means which allow
you to share and strategize ideas
Review your current agreement, compare & contrast
to other dispatch groups’ CBA to formulate
proposals (compilations are available)
Follow the steps for organizing as detailed earlier
Review – Thanks for your time!
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PAFCA – independent labor representative
Bottom up flow – Locals operate autonomously with
little or no interference from International body
International Board of Directors meet quarterly to
share information and develop strategy for problem
solving at the Local level
Finances – majority of dues collected remain at the
local level for use as members determine to be
appropriate
Local Power
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Dispatchers representing dispatch interests
Live & enforce what you negotiate – you’re
still there when negotiations are complete
Prioritize and resolve issues through local
knowledge with problem solving and
communication skills
Leaders work amongst their peers resulting in
accessibility and accountability
Relationship to Company
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Important to establish working relationship
Positive synergy leads to successful problem
solving and to minimize conflict
Management – earn Association’s trust
Association – earn Management’s respect
Executive Board works for the goals of the
dispatchers while the dispatchers work for the
goals of the company