Transportation

PATCO Wins Historic Organizing Campaign at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station

  2008 NOV 24 - (VerticalNews.com) -- PATCO, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, has won a historic organizing election at the U.S. Naval Air Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GITMO), where it will provide a strong voice for air traffic controllers.

  "This is the first time in our history that we have won an international organizing campaign and this victory means we are the first union at Guantanamo Bay representing workers," said Ron Taylor, PATCO President. "Right now the air traffic controllers at GITMO do not have a strong voice in the matters that are important to them. For example, they work 60-plus hour weeks and don't get paid overtime. Also, they don't get federal holidays."

  The air traffic controllers are employed by Midwest ATC Service. PATCO has a master contract with Midwest's other employees, and Taylor said he hopes to negotiate with the company to get the employees at Guantanamo Bay covered under the national agreement. There are eight employees in the bargaining unit.

  PATCO, headquartered in Stuart, Florida, represent contract tower air traffic controllers, including the former PATCO strikers fired by President Reagan in 1981. PATCO represents contract towers throughout the United States and is in the process of organizing other towers in the U.S. and internationally. On October 24, the Teamsters Airline Division announced that it had signed an agreement forming an alliance with PATCO to work together on issues that affect their members and the airline industry as a whole.

  Keywords: Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization.

  This article was prepared by VerticalNews Transportation editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, VerticalNews Transportation via VerticalNews.com.