Norwegian media yesterday overflowed with High Drama stories about stranded pax (dying little boy stranded on way to Doc in USA etc), but today the country's leading broadsheet Aftenposten is widening it's focus.
following is my undoubtedly flawed translation of this newspaper article.
ATCOS UNDER GUARD TO AVOID ACTION
All day yesterday ATCOs in Røyken were supervised while at work. Employer AVINOR wants to make sure there are no more illegal actions and wants to gather information for a possible case in the Labour Court.
PÅL ENGHAUG
KJETIL SÆTER
Fly chaos continues today - 19.09.2004
Worried In a meeting monday night the Norwegian Association of Air Traffic Controllers took upon itself the obligation to get control of the situation in Røyken. Yesterday, representatives of AVINOR's employer's organisation NAVO were in place to supervise the ATCOs keeping their part of the deal, and to gather information for a possible case against the ATCOs in the in the Labour Court.
NAVO's lawyers are working to clarify if the ATCOs spontaneous downing of tools on monday was an illegal action. If NAVO finds there is a judicial foundation for this point of view, the case wil end up in court. If things get that far, the ATCOs risk being held financialy repsonsible for economic losses. In the worst case, they can be fired.
-Sensible reaction
Airlines, passengers and organisations have reacted strongly to the ATCOs claim that they were not mentally fit to work. However, many reports from the HSLB (norwegian equivalent of NTSB) support the ATCOs. Their reaction might even have been sensible.
Speaking generally and without wanting to comment on the current situation in Røyken - These are conditions we look at in all cases of a certain gravity, and something we are very aware of in Norwegian aviation at the moment. Pilots losing their jobs, moving ATC centers, merging of airlines and the moving of the entire Civil Aviation Authority; it is all unfortunate - says Per Erik Bakke from the Accident Investigation Commission
Collision risk
Many incidents involving pilots and ATCOs have had a background of private circumstance and job loss.
article sums up some incidents
After the feb 9 incident the HSLB comes out with a number of recommandations for improving safety. They specifically point to private circumstances that can influence job performance.
HSLB recomends that management and employees at Røyken together evaluate how best take into account employees' private circumstances which make it necessary to take employees off active duty for shorter or longer periods.
The 'form of the day' has to be evaluated
In the same report the comission writes that individual ATCOs have a responsibility to evaluate their own 'form of the day' both physical and mental, and to speak up when they do not feel able to carry out their duties.
The Norwegian Aviation Authority agrees that the ATCOs are supported both by the rules and by the reports of the HSLB, but it does not want to state an opinion on how it is possible that all of theATCOs feel unfit for work at the same time.
-It is our opinion that an unconcentrated and unfocussed ATCO should not go to work. If that happens, we would not look kindly upon it. We will possibly have to take action against AVINOR if the ATCOs are forced to work, says Geir Ingebrethsen of the Norwegian Aviation Authority.
Bendik Hegglund, Chief Union Rep, Røyken of the ATCO union will today online answer the public's questions about the air chaos. People can already put in their questions here