ok, I searched and found nothing on air traffic conrollers so here goes...

I definitely see the problem here. i also went to a website that was showing a video about this news.another reason for my not flying Did you ever see that movie called "Pushing tin"? it shows the terrible pressure these people are under every day they work. I also began to wonder if they are sometimes taking an anti-depressant which might cause sleepiness.

Putting two people on the night shift isn't going to solve the problem. It is so easy to fall asleep when there isn't much to do. I have worked the night shift and have drifted off when there was nothing to do. What I would do is have some one call the controllers at different times of the night to make sure they are awake. Also having some one maybe a security guard or some one similar to check in on them on a regular basis.

I saw this on the news and thought the same as you...WTF? They were putting down the workers and saying they were going to be reprimanded, terminated or whatever disciplinary action. All I could think was, "it's not the workers...it's the people who schedule these workers." These people need to be alert and wide awake at all times. It is common sense that when you bounse someone's schedule around like that that they become overtired and sleep depraved. This is not the fault of the workers. It's the higher-ups that schedule them.

You hit the nail on the head. I used to work nights (10pm to 7am) and loved it, but we stayed on those hours for 3 months at a time. Even with staying on the same schedule for e months, I would not like it if I were the only one there. I'd get lonely and would still get sleepy if I were not busy every second. What about bathroom breaks. Having at least 2 people on duty at all times is an excellent idea.

We have the same problem in healthcare, especially in nursing homes. You missed one thing, many who WANT to be irresponsible and sleep at work, deliberately choose to work the midnight shift, no bosses to hover over them making sure they're doing what they're suppose to do. Nurses are the worst lot. Its a lack of ethics. No matter who does it. And the fact that the bosses have given up trying to MAKE people responsible is a good indication of how far we've fallen.

I agree with you, put people on one shift and leave them there, at least for a few months. Then shift if you have to. I might even ask the ATCs what they thought would work better. I bet you there are some ideas out there better than the one management just came up with.

My first hubby worked rotating shifts, and many medical fields require long or rotating shifts. EVEN THOUGH studies prove that this is not physically healthy. I am with you wondering about dedicated shifts. I do not think it will completely solve the ATC problem, though. I think they have lived in a culture of "getting away with it" for a long time and it will take a long time, and strict discipline to stop it, as well as dedicated shifts. Many people prefer third shifts at jobs because in some of the jobs it is much less busy. I have worked at a job where you were supposed to stay awake for the whole third shift, not by choice, but because others failed to come to work. It wiped me out. And you know, for the most part people do not stay awake for the shifts. The official word said one thing, but if you did not get caught, anything could happen.

I think you pretty much got nailed it. In order to be a polititian a labotomy seems to be a requirement & then the stupidity just trickles down from there. I wonder if any of these air traffic controlers work two jobs? I'll keep my feet on the ground thank you.

Morning, dragon...I think there are many extraneous issues, that to on here, too...and now that this "has hit the fan" other "professions" are being exposed! We know, ATC's are exposed to "highly intense" time's in their work shift, and then extreme lulls..so other than the body having to adjust (mind too)to extreme shifts, it has to deal with "high adrenalin" doses, too! Some people do not come down OFF high adrenalin doses easily..go home and are not able to sleep! And another shift is looming! I respond to this, with a wee bit of understanding, as my EX was a Captain with Canadian Airlines! Pilots shifts are all over the maps, too..often with the VERY minimum required time off! There is an incentive, to work as much as you can, in the least time, his was 85 hours a month...so if he could bid long flights, with minium layover..he could get all his flying time in early in the month, and have a couple weeks off...and I think that is the only reason he did not burn out! This, according to him, is what is happening with ATC's as well..so this may shed some light on why this is happening..and the Union encourage's this by their seniority awards...Seniors booking their full hours in good shifts to them, and the lower on the totem pole...shifts that are all over the map, that the mind and body cannot adjust to! The whole system MUST be re-done!

Yeah , I get that totally. It's only going to make more people resign because they are not going to have much rest , lesser and lesser quality time with friends and families too. Just spend more bucks employing more people for the special shift and things will work for the good , better and best. I don't understand too ... it's only going to make someone more knackered and hence , under-perform if the ratio of 3-5 employees are spread out amongst all the knock out shifts.

That makes no sense at all I agree with you there. This is probably coming up because they found an ATC asleep on the job. And I thought I had heard somewhere that there was a shortage of ATC's. Or is it not because people wouldn't be interested in such a job but like any place you need the training beforehand and even if they are in short supply they are not hiring?!?! I certainly don't want to be on a "red eye" flight knowing that the ATC or anyone for that matter is asleep on the job & w/o back up no less.

I am pleased to see that it is not just the UK that has crazy officialdom. You are quite right of course. But no doubt there is some archaic Union arrangement that nobody can or dares to change. I worked for the Government and can vouch for much lunacy. Also much sense, but that doesn't make the news!

...Hi dragon, this is one of the strangest situations I can recall, Where air traffic controllers in different towers in different cities are falling asleep on the job during the night. If they go home and go to bed they should be rested enough to stay awake until their shift is over. Falling asleep should not be an option with the type of job they are doing. If it is a personnel problem where there are not enough controllers to do the job effectively, then they need to hire more people. There is something very weird about this entire situation. getting rid of the head of the Agency, as they did will not cure it, they need to analyze and get to the bottom of the problem. Lives are at stake. Cheers.

My thinking with something like this is that way too many will completely burnt out. How would any of them be able to continue a normal let alone social lives if their schedules are jumbled this way. They would not be able to keep many working for them at this rate and or have very frustrated employees, who in the long run will not be very productive. You are right does not sound too bright or thoroughly looked/planned out.