Yeah, well edit away. But your remarks were fairly and squarely aimed.
On topic
It has never been a satisfactory solution from a individual coalface ATC to shut down a sector or "go-slow" in response to a perception that management is not providing enough staff.
I'm not sure how many times this has to be pointed out. I am certainly not suggesting this is the way to go. I am pointing out that in ATC, there is scope for 'stretching' of staff. This may take the form of operating with less than a full compliment on a shift (so that breaks are less), not providing leave (annual, long service etc) to actually having 'ghost' lines on a roster, filled by overtime (and many other forms of stretching). This 'stretching' only works with staff complicity. They can only be stretched so far, then they 'break'. I think that at numerous locations, that breaking point has been reached. Some managements are reacting- as in the ME, where salary increases have attracted bodies- some are not. Hence the threadstarter's lament about things in the US. When the controllers there have had enough of the excessive overtime, and the staffing becomes unsafe, then there comes a time when the professional thing to do is close services. It gets media attention, and isn't an 'individual action'. I think we've moved beyond the realms of industrial action in a lot of places.
There are managements who are actively looking to attract staff- Germany, Ireland, Eurocontrol, HK, the ME etc. The US isn't. Yet. As the hiring of experienced controllers is a rob-peter-to-pay-paul exercise anyway, I'll be interested to see when a management tackles the underlying problem.
As an aside: To all those 'managers' who rammed the 'global economy' down our throats (especially at EBA time in oz!!), well the chickens are roosting. Market forces, fellas, simple as that. Skill shortage= salary increase. Pay up. It was, after all, your idea.