— Dave Schumacher, PASS Region IV National Assistant 

Dear PASS Region IV Brothers and Sisters,

It is with great pleasure and enthusiastic support that I endorse the candidacy of Ben Struck for reelection as Region IV Vice President.

For the last eight years, it has been my distinct honor and privilege to serve the Region IV Vice-President and the PASS membership as a National Assistant. During my tenure, I have gained valuable insight and a keen understanding of the knowledge, skills, qualities, and attributes a person must possess to effectively manage the business of Region IV. In my humble opinion, Ben Struck is the only candidate that has the necessary skillsets, emotional intelligence, and logical level- headed approach to managing Region IV’s affairs for the upcoming three-year term and beyond.

Article Three “Organizational Structure”, Section 6 “Regional Vice-Presidents”, Subsection (b) of the PASS Constitution outlines the duties of the Regional Vice- Presidents. The PASS Constitution states, “The Regional Vice-Presidents shall administer the affairs of their respective Regions and shall implement all policies established by the constitution and the PASS Executive Board. The Regional Vice- Presidents shall provide guidance and assistance to all levels of representatives within their respective purview.”

Since assuming the Region IV Vice-President position in January of 2021, Ben Struck has had remarkable success in implementing changes to Region IV business practices. This was no small achievement. Here are a few examples of Ben’s accomplishments over the last three years:

• Despite record numbers of Flight Standards Service employee retirements and departures, Ben has been able to grow the PASS Region IV membership by over 20%.

• Ben Struck has made substantial changes to the methodology Region IV uses to communicate critical information to the membership by implementing the monthly Region IV All-Hands Call.

• Ben and his hand-picked contract negotiating team have been working diligently to secure a new and improved AVS collective bargaining agreement.

From my perspective, the choice for Region IV Vice President is crystal clear and I strongly urge you to vote for Ben Struck and allow him to finish the job he has already started. He is the right person at the right time to lead Region IV moving forward.

Fraternally,

Dave Schumacher

PASS Region IV National Assistant

— AVS Collective Bargaining Team
Ezra P Atkins, Lisa Cotham, David Gillen, Jon Jeffries, Darrell Madia, & Christopher Mazurkiewicz

Dear Region IV Brothers and Sisters,

We are writing to express our enthusiastic endorsement of Benjamin Struck for Region IV Vice President (VP) in the upcoming Professional Aviation Safety Specialist (PASS) Officer Election. Having closely worked alongside Mr. Struck as the Regional Business Agent for the Eastern Region and now Region IV VP since January 2021, We are confident in his ability to continue to lead our organization forward.

Throughout his tenure as Region IV VP, Benjamin Struck has consistently demonstrated integrity, compassion, and a deep commitment to serving the needs of his constituents within Flight Standards.

He provides the National Office with accurate and timely Flight Standards specific information to protect the Union’s credibility in the media and on the hill. Those efforts aided in securing language and other enhancements to pay, benefits and working conditions administered in the H.R. 3935, the “FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.” In these challenging times, it is crucial to elect leaders who not only possess the necessary skills and experience but also embody the values and principles that resonate with our Union. Benjamin Struck embodies these qualities wholeheartedly! He illustrates tenacity in the context of collective bargaining by demonstrating grit, high emotional quotient (EQ), persistence, resilience in the face of challenges, and a strong advocacy for the interests of the collective workforce.

We are confident that Benjamin Struck will continue to work tirelessly to improve working conditions for all bargaining unit employees, facilitate the amicable resolutions of disputes and contribute to the growth, efficiency and prosperity of the safest National Airspace System in the world. As he leads the AVS Collective Bargaining Agreement Team to secure a great contract for Region IV, his bargaining initiative “PASS4ALL!”, upholds the interests of all bargaining unit employees under Region IV. His dedication to openness, contractual representation equality, humility, empathy, transparency, grit and resolve just to name a few, makes him the ideal choice for re-election for Region IV VP.

v/r

AVS Collective Bargaining Team:

Ezra P Atkins
Lisa Cotham
David Gillen
Jon Jeffries
Darrell Madia
Christopher Mazurkiewicz

-Jeffrey Green
PASS National MIDO Representative

Ben consistently goes out of his way to support our brother and sisters in PASS. It's not rhetoric, it's fact. Ben Struck will continue to support all of us and the BUE's we represent. My comments were unsolicited by anyone.

With sincere regards and solidarity.

Jeffrey Green
PASS National MIDO Representative

— Christopher Mazurkiewicz
Region IV Northwest Mountain RBA
PASS Chapter OR3 President
PASS AVS CBA Negotiating Team Member

Dear fellow members,

I am writing this letter to endorse Ben Struck for Region IV’s Vice President position and encourage all of us to unite behind him in the upcoming elections. As a member of this union, we have all made significant contributions to our workplaces, families, and communities. We have worked tirelessly to secure better working conditions, fair wages, work life balance, and benefits for ourselves and our families to live a decent life. It is now time to make sure that we continue to move our union in the right direction and that our rights as workers are respected and protected. The Agency continues posing a threat to our hard-earned gains, and that is why we need a leader, Ben Struck, as our Region IV Vice President.

Over the past several years, as our Region IV Vice President, Ben has opened more opportunities for us to engage with the Agency, such as involvement in pre-decisional discussions, made himself available to our membership for question-and-answer sessions, and dedicated himself to being open and transparent to our members. He has dedicated countless of hours to fight for our rights as federal workers, increase our benefits and improve our quality of work and life. Ben has always put the interests of all our members before any personal interests or gains. Ben has been a great leader for us and has led the charge in negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. While the CBA is still being negotiated, it is one reason why it is so important to re-elect Ben as Region IV’s Vice President to keep the momentum going to achieve the best deal that we can.

As the Region IV Vice President, Ben represents our collective interests and reflects our values as federal employees. He has called for policies that prioritized the needs of our workforce, such as finding creative ways to increase our pay, preserve and expand the ability to telework to the maximum extent possible, find ways to address the Agency’s staffing issues, protecting workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain, and encourage positions with career progressions.

We cannot afford to sit this election out or leave our fate in the hands of those that have their own personal agendas or special interest. We must stand together as a union and continue to work towards holding the Agency accountable to the needs of our workforce. Ben is the guy to lead us in that charge.

I urge all of you to support Ben Struck for Region IV Vice President and vote for him. Ben shares and understand our values and will continue to fight for our rights and interests as workers. Let’s show the power of solidarity and make our voices heard. I am encouraging all our Region IV members to join me in supporting Ben and giving him our vote for Region IV Vice President.

In solidarity,

Christopher Mazurkiewicz

Region IV Northwest Mountain RBA
PASS Chapter OR3 President
PASS AVS CBA Negotiating Team Member

— Lisa Cotham, AST
AVS CBA Bargaining Team
Past Southwest Region RBA

With no reservations, I endorse Ben Struck for a second term as the PASS Regional Vice President for Region IV.

As a 25-year PASS member, I have seen four RVPs with differing styles of interacting with management, some with only minimal success that did not serve the bargaining unit well. Ben is calm and respectful but confident and skillful in presenting the needs of the employees and the position of the Union within the framework of our contract and labor laws.

He meets regularly with upper management who have come to rely on his knowledge of the actual goings-on across the Agency. He has demonstrated his willingness to point fingers and name names of rogue managers. In forging a positive working relationship, PASS has gained respect in the management ranks and achieved new levels of communication and cooperation. Under Ben’s leadership, Region IV has grown in its standing and presence, not just with the Agency but with industry and with Congress.

Ben has worked to engage Bargaining Unit Employees in workplace issues beginning with assigning one of the National Assistants as the coordinator for Subject Matter Experts and Points of Contact to represent PASS on projects or programs. Ben was a leading voice in demanding that the new contract, which controls the number of Representatives, provide for an equal number of Reps to deal with an equivalent level of management.

Where weekly Regional Business Agent meetings were almost secret, Ben has included members in PASS leadership positions and invites guests when appropriate. He also started the monthly after-hours Zoom meetings, open to all members. Obviously, communication is important to him. He is committed to sharing factual information as the situation warrants.

I firmly believe a demanding, confrontational approach will cause harm to our reputation, our effectiveness, and our ability to best represent the bargaining unit. Ben has demonstrated the right demeanor and has had great success. He deserves another term. Please join me in voting for Ben.

Lisa Cotham, AST
AVS CBA Bargaining Team
Past Southwest Region RBA

-Darrell Madia

I wholeheartedly support Ben Struck in his bid to re-election as our PASS Region IV Vice President. As a member of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement Negotiation Team, Ben has shown me his breadth of knowledge on issues effecting ALL our Region IV bargaining unit employees. We are a diverse group and Ben has been the man with the knowledge of how any Articles may affect our various Members.

-Jeffrey Green
PASS AIR National Representative

Ben consistently goes out of his way to support our brother and sisters in PASS. It's not rhetoric, it's fact. Ben Struck will continue to support all of us and the BUE's we represent.

With sincere regards and solidarity.

-Faye Brooks, AFS-200 Division Representative

Fellow Region IV members,

I am writing this email in enthusiastic support of Ben Struck who is seeking reelection as PASS Region IV Vice President. For the past 4 years, I have worked closely with Ben.  I can honestly and confidently attest to his exceptional dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to serving the bargaining unit employees of Region IV. During Ben's tenure, he has consistently demonstrated a profound understanding of the challenges faced by our membership and has tirelessly advocated for our rights and interests. His ability to navigate complex issues, effectively manage Region IV’s budget (with record increases in membership), bargain per Article 70 and the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute on matters not expressly covered by the CBA and protecting our grievance procedure per Article 5 of the CBA to hold the Agency accountable has been instrumental in achieving significant improvements in our workplace conditions, benefits, and overall member satisfaction.

Our Vice President exhibits a genuine passion for representing Region IV members with integrity and fairness. He has shown a remarkable ability to listen to diverse perspectives, foster collaboration, and uphold the democratic principles that are fundamental to PASS’s values. His inclusive approach has strengthened solidarity among the Region IV Leadership Team and empowered us to confront challenges collectively. In addition, his leadership has been marked by transparency within the Region IV Leadership Team. As a strategic thinker, he adjusted the weekly meeting schedule to enhance engagement, and maximized the effectiveness of discussions and decision-making processes to address emerging issues affecting our members. I believe the decision to adjust the meeting frequency was the right decision to make. Ben has always stressed that we can contact him directly anytime of the day or night through his personal cell phone or email for issues outside our meeting space. I have contacted him, and he has kept his word. There has never been a time that he and/or his assistants did not get back to me in a timely manner, with an answer. Because of Ben’s dedication to PASS, I chose to become an advocate for PASS. I gave/given it my all and was re-elected as the Division Representative and have recruited numerous members. Though no leader is perfect, Ben is perfect for us. I would not represent PASS, or Ben if I did not believe in him.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly endorse Ben Struck for “reelection” as Region IV Vice President. I humbly ask my fellow members to keep the continuity of President Spero and Vice President Ben Struck on the Executive Board. By advancing our union's goals and advocating for every member, they have proven to be a winning team. Let’s continue to win.  

Respectfully,

Faye A. Brooks
Aviation Safety Inspector
AFS-200 Division Representative

-Bob Seagrave, PASS Region 1 Vice-President

Once again, election season is upon us and I would like to take this opportunity to endorse Ben Struck as Region IV Vice President. I have had an opportunity to not only work with Ben as R4VP, but also as a part of the Chapter NE3 Executive Board. Through the years, I have known Ben Struck to be a man of high character and a staunch advocate for PASS. Ben has always advocated strongly for Region 4 and the members he represents on the PASS Executive Board. RVP Struck has a keen knowledge of the issues facing Region 4 and he has represented those issues well during difficult CBA negotiations. We have made great strides in growing PASS these last 3 years and I am looking forward to working with Ben as we continue to grow and strengthen PASS.

Vote for Ben Struck as Region IV Vice-President!

Fraternally,

Bob Seagrave
PASS Region 1 Vice-President

-Grant Gillian
Region IV National Assistant & Mid Central (MC3) Chapter Vice President

As a longtime Region IV PASS Member (25+ years), I proudly endorse and support Ben Struck for PASS Region IV Vice President. Ben has impeccable leadership skills and expert labor/management knowledge in leading PASS Region IV.

In just a few days PASS members will be receiving a PASS National Election Ballot in the mail.

This ballot is for the election of a new PASS Executive Board that will lead our union for the next 3 years and beyond. This election comes on the heels of a new PASS AVS Collective Bargaining Agreement that Ben and the Bargaining Team has secured for all of us.

Ben and the rest of the Bargaining Team have worked tirelessly for the past 2 1/2 years to secure a new contract for all PASS Bargaining Unit Employees (BUEs) for the next 5 years.

Ben leads by example and proudly serves all of our PASS Brothers and Sisters each and every day. He brings the necessary communication and leadership skills that are needed to successfully lead Region IV for for the next 3 years. Ben has the highest moral standards not only personally in his family life but also in his professional life.

Ben has earned the utmost respect from our employees and I see first hand how Ben approaches and interacts with the Agency. His tenacious influence is positively impacting and continuously improving things for you and PASS.

Finally, I not only call Ben Struck a PASS Brother, but I also call him a true “Friend”. Please stand with me and vote for Ben as PASS Region IV Vice President.

Fraternally,

Grant Gillian
PASS Region IV National Assistant
Mid Central (MC3) Chapter Vice President

-Cherrie Monnier, AFB-550 Representative

My name is Cherrie Monnier, and I’m the AFB-550 Division Delegate. Most of you have probably never heard of me and are wondering why I’m writing this endorsement for Ben. Given the recent communications on and from the candidates, and on the PASS contract, I feel a moral obligation to speak out.

First, I am not going to tell you to vote for Ben. I wholly believe you should vote as your conscience dictates. Instead, I’m going to highlight my observations from the past couple of weeks and then tell you why I’m voting for Ben.

Beginning with the recent communications from candidates, election season is very stressful and brings out our most passionate selves. We are asked to vote for the person who best represents our values. Some of the communications have emotionally charged using catastrophic language. Sadly, while it’s to be expected, I see it as divisive and unbecoming. It seems logical to conclude that if one has challenges finding levelheaded language, during the election cycle, then one will run into those same challenges when negotiating on our behalf. This type of behavior builds walls instead of bridges

I ask you to consider how such communication would reflect on our union. I ask you to consider how such messages impacts our bargaining power. I ask you to consider what image we wish to present, not only to the agency, but to those whom we serve - the American Taxpayer.

Therefore, I am voting for Ben. He’s exemplified and exhibited calm, steady leadership. Whether he’s briefing a Business Line on PASS’s interests, listening to RBAs in the weekly meetings, or on the few occasions I’ve spoken with him personally, I’ve found Ben to be consistent and steadfast. He understands the big picture and that when we can’t immediately negotiate an agreement to meet the needs of the BUEs, we can build collaborative relationships with the agency to continue bargaining on an alternate forum. He has a sincere desire to serve the best interests of all BUEs and to simply to what’s right.

There are some BUEs who are quite vocal in their disapproval of the new contract. For those who feel betrayed because PASS lacked leverage in negotiating for your needs, I draw your attention to Appendix V of the Tentative Agreement. These are examples of PASS continuing to bargain on an alternate forum.

There are four workgroups to continue the work the contract started. They are workgroups to ensure that employees are appropriately compensated for their travel, their contributions to help save the agency money and one to ensure AST’s are appropriately utilized, compensated and have career progression.

I know from personal experience how hard it is when the agency and the union fail to address one’s immediate situation. My journey with the FAA started as a single mother working as an ASA. I’ve worked my way up to a Management Program Analyst serving Workforce Development. Some of the work I had to do on my own, and some was assisted through the work the union has done on my behalf.

In closing, I ask you to carefully reflect on the behaviors and actions of our elected leaders. Ask yourself who best represents your values and will build bridges to meet your needs in both the short and long term. Above all, please vote so your voice is heard. Your voice matters!

-Anthony Cresswell, Principal Representative, South Florida FSDO (SO-19)

Mr. Ben Struck has my full endorsement for the upcoming election of Region IV Vice President. Ben has supported FSDO-19 throughout our struggles for Fair and Equitable distribution of Overtime as well as the hostile environment toward PASS. Mr. Struck’s persistence, in elevating our voice, resulted in Executive Management’s call for an independent review with an Environmental Assessment (EA). That EA substantiated our claims and ultimately the support, in making positive change come about at FSDO-19. Without Ben’s commitment in raising our issues up to the AFX-1 level, that would not have happened. Ben recently attended the onboarding of our new Office Manager, as a show of solidarity and support and brought forward PASS’ clear expectations in moving forward with a voice at FSDO-19.

Please join me in your support of Mr. Ben Struck in the upcoming election to continue as our Vice President of Region IV. Also please spread our support to the membership as I intend to do.

Regards,

Anthony Cresswell
Principal Representative
South Florida FSDO (SO-19)