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General Discussion / Re: We don't talk enough...
« on: November 09, 2018, 03:48:01 PM »I'd like more transparency in the division regarding the state of VATUSA. We haven't held a townhall in quite some time and I feel like I'm out of the loop in terms of what is happening at the division level. I know that I, as well as other members of my facility, have questions and concerns about how the division is operating. I call question to sudden and frequent staff changes. As an outsider who is not a staff member (and does not have access to staff related forums), I cannot tell if this division is being run into the ground or not. While this division may not be a dictatorship, there are enough obscurity and lack of public forum that it is impossible to differentiate what is going on at upper levels from that of an authoritarian regime.
I promised myself I would stay out of this. I don't speak for the Division and I won't speak for #1 or #2. And although I have more than a couple of opinions on what I have read here I am going to limit myself to this one question, because i feel the answer to it is important and may in some way go to the heart of the matter.
Josh, you said you feel out of the loop. There isn't enough transparency. We should have more town hall meetings, and the lack of a public forum troubles you and, you know what, it should. So let me ask you, if there truly is a lack of a public forum why haven't you asked your ATM the questions that trouble you? You have questions and concerns why haven't you brought them to your ATM? I could go on, but each point ends with why haven't you brought your concerns to your ATM? He is the point person for your ARTCC. He has, or should have, the answer you seek and if he doesn't , he knows who to speak with to get it. Your ATM is supposed to do more than just kick people off the roster because they haven't controlled enough last month. He is your representative to the Division. You want a democracy? You got one. Convince your ATM to keep you informed. Convince your ATM to make sure that all of the new guys get trained. Convince your ATM to bring to the Division any questions, problems, or good ideas that he thinks will enhance what we do. Convince your ATM to sit down with the ATMs of the surrounding ARTCCs and develop a plan for sharing information and creating good time events.
You want democracy? You want a town hall meeting? You want to meet with the Division to find out what's going on? No you don't. You want a town hall meeting because it's easy to roast people, policy and plans in a group setting than argue with your ATM about something he already knows about and maybe even agrees with.
One last thing. Is a town hall meeting an important piece of this puzzle? It is. But it is because it's a public relations requirement and not because anything good ever comes out of them.
I'm done here now. Any ARTCC staff member who wants me for whatever reason need only ask. Anyone else can sit down in their ARTCC and get the news from the ARTCC town hall meeting. Uhmm... you do have them right? Your ARTCC isn't being run into the ground is it?