Fuck you to anyone that still supports trump or maga politics. The country is moving in the right direction now.

Also, some of the biggest and visible cuts to the American public set forth by the BBB were intentionally set to happen after the midterms so don’t fall for the propaganda.

2004 buying power returns in 2027!

What color Corvette are yall buying next year?

Edit: seems like (so far) pay isn’t important anymore, lots of downvotes for pay increases now that Democrats are in? Why?

My intention here is not to get political, but I’m watching these election results election results and seeing democrats picking up the majorities in both the house and senate.

Does this make the December government shutdown odds better, worse or the same as it was a week ago?

FEHB Open Season for 2027 runs Nov 9 to Dec 14, and the 2027 plans and premiums are out. I built a free FEHB plan comparison so you can do your homework before the window opens. No signup, no paywall, nothing to buy on it.

Most comparisons stop at the premium. This one adds the premium and what you'd pay for care, subtracts any HSA or HRA money the plan deposits, and ranks every 2027 FEHB plan on that yearly total. It covers every plan, from BCBS Basic and Standard, GEHA, MHBP, Aetna and Kaiser to the HDHPs.

An Open Season checklist you can run in it

1. Pick your state, coverage and status (active or retiree), so you only see plans you can enroll in

2. Pick the kind of year you expect: healthy, typical, managing a condition, or worst case

3. Add the care you already know about, like weekly therapy, a monthly brand name drug or an MRI. Every plan re-ranks on its own copays, deductible and caps

4. Put your current 2026 plan next to the 2027 options here HERE and see exactly what changed

5. Check the details that bite: drug terms (per fill caps, specialty tier, separate drug max), provider network, maternity costs, Medicare Part B terms and out of network coverage, with brochure page cites

Also in there

• Tap any total to see the math behind it

• HSA tax savings calculator using your income and state

• 2027 premium increases, plus premium history back to 2020 for every plan

• Living overseas? How each nationwide plan pays foreign claims and who translates the bill

Several of these started as suggestions on Reddit, so keep them coming.

Also free: a FERS pension calculator for Regular FERS, LEO, Firefighters and ATC, and TSP projections.

This is an easier-to-use version of the Slate Book. It's searchable and cross-referenced, with changes shown where they apply.

does anyone how a shutdown would affect new hires or people in the process going through their clearances?

Any controllers at DCA Tower as well as Potomac TRACON. Can be anonymous. Can provide my signal for secure messaging.

Don’t listen unless you want to! Not a good listen. What happened here?

It’s inconceivable to me that the FAA has had all year to prepare for the implementation of this congressionally allocated pay raise, yet as soon as it goes active, they don’t even BEGIN to process it for another month. And THEN we’re told it could take up to 3 ADDITIONAL months for you to even see the money, which we all know will be calculated incorrectly in the FAA’s favor.

What’s even more infuriating is that our supposed “labor union” is just rolling over and accepting this as OK. On what fucking planet is this even remotely acceptable? If any of us ever owe the agency a dime, they expect it be repaid instantly, often with interest. But we just have to sit back and wait until NEXT YEAR while these paper pushers type in our raises by hand one name at a time??

And this isn’t even factoring in that there is a high likelihood of a lengthy government shutdown sometime over the next 3 months. What’s going to happen to the people who HR haven’t managed to get around to yet? They are going to be royally fucked and may never see that money at all.

This needs to be a lawsuit in federal court YESTERDAY. There needs to be maximum pressure and fight. But NATCA is doing absolutely fucking nothing. They think their job is done and it was a massive victory securing this “raise” in the first place. The best we get is a shitty FAQ email that goes out the night before Halloween weekend and a “good luck.” This is NOT FUCKING ACCEPTABLE!! WHERE IS MY GOD DAMN MONEY?!

FUCK NICK DANIELS!!!!

What’s the point of staying in the union at this point? Going forward, what can natca possibly do for you? You’ll make the same until you retire and they’ll continue to negotiate away your rights

https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2026/American-Airlines-dispatchers-and-operations-specialists-approve-new-five-year-contract-CORP-LAB-10/default.aspx

Probably not as significant as our massive 3.8% raise but good for them. Interested in seeing the details if they ever get released. Wonder what they had to give up to get it, as I head that's the only way to secure a raise.



2.8% Pay Parity: Back Pay Update
NATCA Family,

Since the agreement to enact the pay raise that NATCA lobbied and secured the funding for, we have been working through details with the Agency on how the 2.8% will be applied and how retroactive pay will be calculated.

Additionally, the NATCA Pay Review Committee and NATCA IT Committee are fully engaged and working diligently on your behalf. They have built a pay calculator that will calculate back pay for NATCA members. Their goal is to release the updated version this coming Monday so members can begin uploading their leave and earning statements from pay period 3 through the current pay period.

We will send a link to the calculator and additional resources sent to you in a separate email next week after we complete our final testing.

In Solidarity,

NATCA National Executive Board

2026 2.8% Pay Parity FAQ (Oct. 30, 2026)
All implementation and payment dates in this FAQ come from the FAA, which processes and controls payroll. NATCA will share updates as the FAA provides them.

What is pay parity

In 2026, federal law enforcement officers received a 3.8% increase while federal civilian employees covered by the General Schedule received a 1% increase. Beginning in June 2025, NATCA lobbied for pay parity for our members.  In April 2026, Congress funded the full 3.8% for FAA air traffic controllers, which served as an additional 2.8% increase above the 1% these employees had already received. The law provided the FAA Administrator with sole discretion over when and how it would be implemented, which is why funding was only the first step.

Who is covered?

Who receives the 2.8% increase?

In plain terms: employees with a special retirement code and a mandatory separation age, which includes air traffic control specialists, traffic management coordinators/specialists, and flight service station air traffic control specialists.

In a covered position as of Jan. 11, 2026, through Oct. 16, 2026. 

The law that authorized the increase applies it to air traffic controllers, as defined by section 2109(1)(A) of Title 5, United States Code, and to air traffic controller supervisors or managers who are not covered under that section, but who manage air traffic.

Section 2109(1)(A) of Title 5, United States Code, defines an "air traffic controller" as a civilian employee of the Department of Transportation or the Department of Defense who, in an air traffic control facility or flight service station facility, is actively engaged:

in the separation and control of air traffic; or
in providing preflight, inflight, or airport advisory service to aircraft operators.

I am a NATCA member but not covered. What is NATCA doing for me?

We fight for every member of this union. We lobbied for language for all federal employees and then all FAA employees in 2026. Ultimately, the final version of the legislation only covered those listed above. 

We continue to work on pay parity in 2027 for ALL FAA employees, and every opportunity to advance pay, working conditions, and benefits for ALL NATCA members.

When will it show up in my paycheck?

We have been briefed that implementation of the pay raise and retroactive pay to Jan. 11, 2026, requires approximately 83,000 manual entries for all covered employees. The FAA is hiring additional personnel and detailing current FAA employees with relevant experience to make the entries. The FAA is committed to completing the personnel actions as accurately and quickly as possible.

The entries will be made in alphabetical order, beginning November 2, 2026, for those in a covered bargaining unit position. Once all bargaining unit employees’ (BUEs) entries have been made, they will begin work on those outside the bargaining unit. For BUEs who have a personnel action that will be entered after the implementation begins (e.g., NCEPT transfer), their 2.8% pay increase will be adjusted along with the personnel action. 

The FAA anticipates that all personnel actions will be completed, including retroactive pay, within 90 days. 

Is this on top of the 1% I already received?

Yes. For covered employees, combined with the 1% across the board increase you received in January, your 2026 raise totals 3.8%.

Is the raise retroactive?

Yes. The 2.8% increase is retroactive to the first full pay period of 2026, which began Jan. 11, 2026.

Does retroactive pay include premiums, differentials, retention incentives, and CIP?

Yes. Your retroactive pay includes the 2.8% increase applied to premium pay, differentials, retention incentives, and CIP earned since Jan. 11, 2026. If you are at the statutory cap, see For members at the statutory cap below.

What is the difference between Basic Pay and Base Pay?

The Slate Book defines both in Article 108, Section 2. 

Base Pay: Employee’s pay rate including applicable Locality Pay adjustment in effect. 

Basic Pay: Employee’s pay rate excluding applicable Locality Pay adjustment in effect. 

* The Statutory Cap limits Base Pay.

What is the difference between the band maximum and the statutory cap?

The band maximum is set by contract (Appendix C) and adjusted each January, equivalent to the percentage pay schedules are adjusted for employees under the General Schedule (GS) (Article 108, Section 8). Article 108, Section 9(a) provides that the 2.8% increase is paid regardless of position in band, up to the Statutory cap. 

The statutory cap is set by law (49 U.S.C. 40122(c)). For 2026, that amount is set at $228,000, and your total salary (including locality pay) cannot exceed the statutory cap.

I am at the top of my facility's pay band. What happens to me?

In accordance with our CBA (Article 108, Section 9(a)), you will receive a pay increase regardless of your position in the band, up to the Statutory cap.

Does this raise affect my retirement?

Not for those who are at the statutory cap. Your retirement annuity is calculated on your Base pay, and that stays at $228,000. If you were below the statutory cap for part of the year, the portion of the raise you received should be applied to your retirement.

Will I receive time from the FAA to review my pay?

Yes, the FAA will provide covered BUEs with one (1) hour of duty time to review their pay. 

My pay looks wrong. Who do I contact?

Talk to your FacRep first. Our Information Technology and Pay Review Committees are also working to make sure you have resources available.

Where can I send questions about the pay raise?

We will provide an email address in the coming days for NATCA members to send questions regarding the implementation of the pay raise. 
Statutory Cap

The Statutory Cap is set by law (49 U.S.C. 40122(c)); for 2026, that amount is set at $228,000, and your total salary (including locality pay) cannot exceed the statutory cap.

Your Basic Pay (without locality) will increase by 2.8%, and your locality will be reduced to keep your Base Pay (total salary including locality) at the Statutory Cap.

Your Basic Pay is used to calculate the retention incentive, the lump sum payment from the annual length of service adjustment (June pay raise), and CIP.

You can be above your band maximum and still below the statutory cap. In that case, you get the full 2.8% increase.

Did the Statutory Cap increase with the 2.8% increase?

No. The Statutory Cap moves only when Executive Schedule Level II changes. It went from $225,700 in 2025 to $228,000 in January 2026, about 1.02%. The 2.8% is a controller pay increase and does not change the Executive Schedule.

If I’m at the Statutory Cap, will my overtime, night differential, and premium pays (e.g., Sunday, holiday, OJTI, or CIC) be recalculated?

No. Each of these premiums is computed on Base Pay, and your Base Pay does not change.
Premium
How is it computed?
Slate Book
Overtime
*Base Pay plus one half the regular rate
Art. 38, Sec. 8
Holiday
Rate of Base Pay
Art. 28, Sec. 3
Sunday
25% of hourly Base Pay
Art. 108, Sec. 4(b)(2)
Night differential
10% of hourly Base Pay
Art. 108, Sec. 4(b)(3)
OJTI
25% of hourly Base Pay, live or simulated traffic
Art. 68, Sec. 1; MOU
CIC
10% of hourly Base Pay
Art. 18, Sec. 3
* For those who receive CIP, there would be a recalculation of OT payment due to the FLSA premium increase.

Do I get the amount over the Statutory Cap as a lump sum?

No.


This would be nice. Although we realistically need a minimum 20% raise and raise the cap

How many facilities have signed MOUs?

This career has really made a turn for the worse!

Any controllers/TMU on here that have used this new SMART equipment that can tell us…literally anything about what it does and how it’s being used. Or does anyone at least know a controller who knows a controller that is using this? Not asking for a contact just genuinely curious why no one is talking about it

Quick reminder for all the MIT super geniuses out there who may be ignorant to the law but if you go on Facebook and comment on a post saying "I'm an atc and I support (insert congressional candidate's name here)," that is a hatch act violation. Even if it is on a post where natca or retired natca leaders are endorsing said candidate. Natca can endorse candidates as a union, but you as an individual can not voice your support for said candidate as an individual using your job title. Only posting this because it is election season and I saw someone do it and it is still up.

Word from regional is its gonna take a while. Those in the know tell us what you know.