Having been doing a lot of reading in this and other topics over the last few days, i thought i would add my two cents worth.
Quote from IAA web site:
News & Press Releases
Date: February 09 2008
Headline: Disruption to air traffic control services at Shannon Airport
9 February 2008: The Irish Aviation Authority regrets that due to continued unofficial disruptive action by air traffic controllers there will no air traffic control service at Shannon Airport tonight between 2100 hours and 2400 hours.
We regret the service interruption and inconvenience caused to our airline customers and passengers as a result of this unofficial action. Passengers should contact their airline for further information.
ENDS
As an operational controller, who like my collegues is currently working in an atmosphere that is not exactly wonderful at the moment, i find statements like this from our managemt not exactly pleasent, but little more than we have come to expect. The situation in shannon tonight is again down to staffing numbers, 1 controller in the tower from 2100 to 0000, when two are required, and the fact that there is no one available to work overtime is not unofficial aciton, as described in the press release, as we do NOT HAVE MANDATORY OVERTIME.
I would agree with grr nav
1, I have a life outside
2, I'm sick to my back teeth of the place
We work hard enough during our week, that management expecting controllers to work on their days off to shore up a poor roster and bad planning cannot be expected to continue.
Surely the flying public would be happier knowing that there are refreshed controllers on duty rather than dog-tired dissillusioned ones.