Thu, Dec 24, 2009
FAA Reminds Employees To Act With "Decorum" Following News
Reports
After coming to terms with NATCA on a new contract this fall,
the FAA instituted a $5 million training program for 3,600 managers
who will be responsible for its administration. The employees were
sent to Atlanta for four days of meetings.
But the actions of some of the employees drew the attention of
ABC News, which caught hidden-camera footage of heavy drinking and
partying after the sessions ended. The Associated Press reports
that one FAA employee was seen on video asking an ABC reporter if
she was a "hooker", because "I was ready to reach for my
wallet."
The training was brought to the attention of ABC News by a
whistleblower. Tom Schatz, the president of Citizens Against
Government Waste, told ABC "It's the wrong time to spend five
million dollars on a Christmas party for anybody's employees,
especially in the government."
"We expect a level of professionalism from our employees at all
times, including after work hours. We are reminding employees of
that fact," said FAA spokeswoman Sasha Johnson. "Reports of unruly
public behavior are disappointing for the entire FAA."
The only approved social function at the training was a
welcome reception with a cash bar, which Johnson said was done at
no cost to the taxpayers. AP reports that between hotel and per
diem, the FAA spent just under $1,400 per employee for the
training.
While the whistleblower who contacted ABC suggested that the
training could have been done via a Powerpoint presentation or
video conference, the FAA said it was important to do the training
in the way it did. The agency said in a statement "Given the
complexity of the contract and the need for managers to fully
understand it, the training had to be done face-to-face not through
a memo or webcast."
The
NACTA contract went into effect in
October.
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