President

The race for President has moved to a runoff between Ruth Marlin and Paul Rinaldi. Please be sure to vote in the runoff election!

In the first round, Pat Forrey received 23% of the vote, Paul Rinaldi was second with 34% of the vote, and Ruth Marlin got 42% of the vote. Since no candidate received over 50% of the vote, it moves to a runoff between Paul and Ruth.

This election’s race for President sees the incumbent, Pat Forrey, running for re-election. He is challenged by current Executive Vice President Paul Rinaldi and former Executive Vice President Ruth Marlin.

The President is the most visible leader for the union. The NATCA President frequently appears on television and radio; is asked to appear and testify before Congressional committees with oversight over the FAA; serves as the CEO of the union; and generally works to try and keep NATCA moving in the same direction to attain the union’s goals.

NATCA’s President will often meet with other aviation interest groups, such as AOPA and the ATA, and also winds up frequently lobbying Congressmen and Senators directly to ensure that NATCA’s voice is heard in reference to pending legislation that affects the union’s membership.

As if all that weren’t enough, the President must also deal directly with the highest levels of FAA management and leadership on nearly every type of issue you can imagine, from wide-scale bargaining for the entire represented workforce to dealing with individual labor-management issues.

Finally, the President is also in charge of directing any negotiating teams that are working to bargain on contracts with the FAA for NATCA’s various bargaining units.

The NATCA Constitution says:

Section 4. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and shall be responsible for implementing all policies established by this Constitution, the National Convention and the National Executive Board.

He or she, subject to the authority of the National Executive Board, shall be empowered to employ any person or organization he or she deems necessary and to direct, manage and supervise any affairs of the Association.

He or she shall preside at all National Conventions and meetings of the National Executive Board, and shall chair or direct the chair of the Association’s Negotiating Team.

Like all national-level offices, the President’s term is three years. The NATCA President is officially on LWOP (Leave Without Pay) from the FAA, and the President’s salary and benefits are set and paid for by the union (generally by the National Convention body).