BN is over, yet has troubles filling shifts, ML is 27 under using the same formula; no wonder we are sick to death of working ot and eds.
Not so easy to say "no thanks" Baileys; we all know what it's like to be left without support at the console; last thing done is slow traffic rates; so you just cope with more traffic per head. It's sh!tful.
When you get the call at home, 'you are our last chance', often permiates the tone of the call. You also understand what it's like to be left as a single individual or two individuals when the normal number is 5 staff on duty; for a particular area.
Is this miss management or deliberate... We all know that it is cheaper to fill shifts with ot and ed than have a fulltime body sitting there just in case.
Unlike an airliner if a tech crew body doesn't front the plane doesn't go; if you have a drop out or two on the console 'team' then it's just less breaks and mulitple single sectors (freq's) combined onto one position. Of course there are 'contingency plans' but these are universally ignored, mostly because the ATCs don't know what's in them and the managers don't want to flag to higher managers about the reasons for these contingencies being enacted.
If the ATC actually make a point of not comming to work on their days off the system will be at breaking point quickly; because at present the whole structure rely's on the greedy ATC mentality of chasing the money; even if that's not the reason most give up their day off; see above about not letting mates down and pressures applied.