May 14, 2007
Kim Pruitt
FAA, ATO CSA Service Center
Administrative Services Group, AJO-2C5
2601 Meacham Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76137
Dear Kim Pruitt and the FAA:
I am declining the offer of the July 13, 2007 class date for an air traffic control specialist position at Chicago Air Route Control Center (ARTCC) for the following reasons:
1) Extremely low pay ($8.98 an hour) in Oklahoma City with no per diem
2) Imposed work rules
3) Unacceptable treatment of current and future ATC employees
4) Inconsistency in the hiring of CTI graduates
I graduated in August 2003 from the University of North Dakota’s CTI program. It is now May 2007 and I just received an email indicating that I could join the July 13th class at Oklahoma City. Why did it take me FOUR YEARS to get a class date? Why did I see so many people graduate after me and get hired before me? Why the inconsistencies? I have spent the last four years taking time off work, spending money out of my own pocket and going out of my way to meet all of your hiring requirements. I am no longer going to waste my valuable time and money for an incompetent and malicious agency.
The following is a very general timeline of my hiring process because if I were to provide a detailed timeline, it would take up an entire page:
August 2003 – graduated from UND CTI program
August 2003 – physical
August 2003 – drug test
December 2004 – referred to the region
October 2005 – took 16PF
October 2005 – physical
October 2005 – drug test
November 2005 – background check initiated
June 30, 2006 – submitted my acceptance of a tentative offer for an ATCS position
September 2006 – background check cleared
January 2007 – physical
January 2007 – drug test
March 2007 – received an email from FAA wanting to know if I took the 16PF
May 2007 – was informed I could be placed in the 7/13/07 class
In addition to the ridiculous hiring process, I simply cannot afford to accept this offer. I have an extremely large amount of college debt ($100,000+) in addition to the rising cost of living (gas, electricity, lodging, food, etc.). I cannot afford to live in Oklahoma City for three months at $8.98 an hour with no per diem. Under the old rules, I could afford to accept this offer.
The position I have been put in is very disheartening because I really wanted to be an air traffic controller. I studied hard, worked hard and I continued to do what was asked of me to meet the agency’s hiring requirements, but enough is enough. Due to my hiring experience thus far, the extremely low pay in Oklahoma City, the lowered salary for new hire air traffic controllers, and the imposed work rules, I will not accept this job. I refuse to go further in debt to work for an agency that does not value its employees.
Sincerely,
Applicant X
Kim Pruitt
FAA, ATO CSA Service Center
Administrative Services Group, AJO-2C5
2601 Meacham Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76137
Dear Kim Pruitt and the FAA:
I am declining the offer of the July 13, 2007 class date for an air traffic control specialist position at Chicago Air Route Control Center (ARTCC) for the following reasons:
1) Extremely low pay ($8.98 an hour) in Oklahoma City with no per diem
2) Imposed work rules
3) Unacceptable treatment of current and future ATC employees
4) Inconsistency in the hiring of CTI graduates
I graduated in August 2003 from the University of North Dakota’s CTI program. It is now May 2007 and I just received an email indicating that I could join the July 13th class at Oklahoma City. Why did it take me FOUR YEARS to get a class date? Why did I see so many people graduate after me and get hired before me? Why the inconsistencies? I have spent the last four years taking time off work, spending money out of my own pocket and going out of my way to meet all of your hiring requirements. I am no longer going to waste my valuable time and money for an incompetent and malicious agency.
The following is a very general timeline of my hiring process because if I were to provide a detailed timeline, it would take up an entire page:
August 2003 – graduated from UND CTI program
August 2003 – physical
August 2003 – drug test
December 2004 – referred to the region
October 2005 – took 16PF
October 2005 – physical
October 2005 – drug test
November 2005 – background check initiated
June 30, 2006 – submitted my acceptance of a tentative offer for an ATCS position
September 2006 – background check cleared
January 2007 – physical
January 2007 – drug test
March 2007 – received an email from FAA wanting to know if I took the 16PF
May 2007 – was informed I could be placed in the 7/13/07 class
In addition to the ridiculous hiring process, I simply cannot afford to accept this offer. I have an extremely large amount of college debt ($100,000+) in addition to the rising cost of living (gas, electricity, lodging, food, etc.). I cannot afford to live in Oklahoma City for three months at $8.98 an hour with no per diem. Under the old rules, I could afford to accept this offer.
The position I have been put in is very disheartening because I really wanted to be an air traffic controller. I studied hard, worked hard and I continued to do what was asked of me to meet the agency’s hiring requirements, but enough is enough. Due to my hiring experience thus far, the extremely low pay in Oklahoma City, the lowered salary for new hire air traffic controllers, and the imposed work rules, I will not accept this job. I refuse to go further in debt to work for an agency that does not value its employees.
Sincerely,
Applicant X
