AP: Controllers Fear Fatigue on the Job

[libnnc]

Controllers fear fatigue on the job

By LESLIE MILLER Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Air traffic controllers said Friday they will be forced to work even when they're tired after the Federal Aviation Administration imposes a new contract this weekend.

Controller fatigue may be an issue in the investigation of the recent airplane crash in Kentucky that killed 49. <snip>

<snip>
The controllers' new contract with the FAA follows nine months of bitter negotiations that broke down in April. Controllers sought binding arbitration, but the FAA said the law gives it the right to impose its last, best offer.

A section of the contract says, "Sick leave cannot be granted for rest or minor inconveniences," according to a briefing guide for the FAA's collective bargaining agreement with the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers.<snip>

If anyone is interested...this all ties directly to the failed contract negotiations a few months ago. The shit is beginning to hit the fan.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4157659.html

[Kagemusha]

1. Excuse me but, the Kentucky crash involved violating FAA policies

by having one controller handle both regular radar functions and communicating with planes when the regulations explicitly call for two people to handle the functions separately. To blame fatigue alone is to ignore the overstretching that surely created that fatigue.

For the record.

[libnnc]

2. um, I know. I live with a controller...

No one is blaming fatigue alone. It's part of a much bigger problem. Read the article.

[Kagemusha]

4. No one blaming fatigue alone... except the AP article?

At any rate the article seems just one big silly argument over "sick leave" and the FAA saying that's something that needs to be cut down on, whereas there's all sorts of other grounds for relief that are not "sick leave". And that they'd never make anyone work while tired even though in the Kentucky case someone sure as hell was forced to by circumstance.

Everyone can't be telling the truth. That's all I see.

[Sherman A1]

3. My Thanks to Ronald Reagan who got us into this mess

in the first place when he fired all the controllers in the 1980's. This (combined with budget cuts) is the blowback from that decision. Way to go St. Ronnie! My former nominee for worst president in history, until our current occupant of the White House.