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THE NATCA DIFFERENCE: THE NATCA DIFFERENCE OPEN SEASON BEGINS MONDAY! Monday, May 19, is a very exciting day for our Union, as we begin a three-month open season that allows all bargaining unit employees to join NATCA without paying an initiation fee.* Through The NATCA Difference organizing and activism campaign that began in January, we have initiated conversations around the country about what is truly important in our careers, our professions, and our workplaces. NATCA's strength lies in the collective voices of its members. Our 10-part education and activism series leading up to this open season has focused on themes like pride, professionalism, setting the standard, strong will, and answering the question of "Why NATCA?" Ultimately, the bottom line is that your future is not a game. All bargaining unit employees are essential pieces of the puzzle, and it's our goal to convince as many of them to join NATCA as possible. Our Union is filled with dedicated workers with a common purpose. That common purpose is the backbone for everything NATCA does every day on behalf of our membership – whether it's appointing subject matter experts who work tirelessly to ensure the success of ERAM and other safety and tech projects, building important groups like the National Validation Team to categorize the proper traffic count for all facilities, or supporting the men and women of the National Organizing Committee who, through this campaign, strengthen NATCA's future by increasing membership and activism. Everything we do is the result of so many talented Union members, bringing their individual talents together to ensure a common outcome for the good of all. Each and every NATCA member owns a piece of this puzzle. Only when we fit all the pieces together can we truly see the collective importance of a large, diverse membership. Next time you go to work, look around. Look at the current members and the potential members. And as you look at them, ask yourself what piece of the puzzle they own, and how we can fit them together to create a stronger voice for all aviation safety professionals. We need your help to achieve the goal of The NATCA Difference every day at every facility. Every conversation you have with a bargaining unit employee could result in our next membership application. Help them to see the benefit that NATCA membership not only brings to the individual but to the National Airspace System as a whole. Remember, their futures are tied to ours. We're all in this together. For more information, please see our organizing website at www.thenatcadifference.com. *Any bargaining unit employee who previously resigned from the Union or was automatically expelled because of non-payment of dues will still be subject to an initiation fee. NiW Today n i w . n a t c a . n e t 36

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