Brian, I totally agree with you. There can be no doubt that some units needed (& still do) SRATCOH protection - no argument there. But at others (as in my case), ATCOS ruled the roost & fatigue protection was never anywhere near required. In my case, the unit was staffed for very busy Summer weekends. That left an excess of staff at other times. Basically, we had 9 rostered on Sat/Sun & 7 on weekdays. Only a max of 5 were required during the week, so EGs & duties in name only were plentiful. We worked rostered split morn/eve shifts - but it was very rare to work both; & if you did, you came in late & went home early. My record was 8 & a half hours one 7 day period. The average working week was in the region of 25 hrs. No day duties & we finished a duty period (5 days) on an am duty , having started on a pm every other cycle. There was absolutely no barrier to swaps. No wonder no one wanted SRATCOH - which resulted in lots of day duties, no swaps, no EGs & much longer shifts. In the end, we had to accept it because SRG said that they were no longer prepared to license & regulate the aerodrome unless we did. Now, as a result of an apparent whim, ATC can go back to the old system. Good luck to them.