FAA History Lesson -- October 10

From the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996...

”Oct 10, 1968: Enactment of Public Law 90-566 authorized higher overtime pay for certain FAA employees. Those nonmanagerial employees with duties critical to the daily operation of the air traffic control and navigation system became eligible for overtime pay at one and a half times their regular pay in grades up to and including GS-14. The affected employees--who worked in air traffic control, flight inspection of navigational aids, and airway facility maintenance--were thus excepted from a general ceiling that limited overtime pay to one and a half times the regular pay for the first step of pay grade GS-10.”

I thought I’d throw just a glimmer of hope out for the new guys. Of course, it could be viewed as a warning. We know that things are regressing at the FAA. Could you imagine how much overtime the FAA would assign if they only had to pay time and a half at GS-10 ? (For the non-controllers, back when controllers were on the GS scale, the “big houses” were GS-14.)

I’m in a good mood today so let’s look at it in a positive light. You’ve come a long way baby. Progress in the FAA is possible. Don’t let the temporary setbacks of this Administration get you down.

Don Brown
October 10, 2007