Blakey told reporters that, "We can't afford an agreement like 1998." The existing contract, signed under a previous administrator and extended by her two years ago, is a "bad deal" that costs too much. She said the average controller's annual pay package, excluding retirement benefits, is now more than $165,000 and that some make more than $200,000 a year. Blakey also claims the contract gives the union "de facto control" over scheduling and staffing levels. NATCA's Carr vehemently denied that the union had seized control of staffing and shifting, and offered to pay Blakey or any of the reporters taking part in his teleconference $1 million if they could find within the wording of the existing contract proof the union was granted such powers. Carr called the assertions "patently false" and said it's ludicrous to think that a bureaucracy the size of the FAA could be cowed by a 15,000-member union.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/leadnews/faa-natca-she-said-he-said