Merged: ASA Staff Shortage

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[QUOTE]4 (a) Total unplanned absence days - all air traffic controllers
.....................................2005/06........... 2006/07.............. 2007/08
Sick leave....................... 12,123 ...............13,401 ..............13,509
Personal Leave............. 1,525 .................1,500 ..................1,629
........................................13,648.... .......... 14,902 ................15,138

Again, an increase. wow, maybe there is a trend.

But Wait!!!

4 (d) Total sick leave days taken by air traffic controllers by duration
..............................................2005/06 ...............2006/07 ..............2007/08
Single day .................................6,119 .....................6,548 .................5,683
Between 2 & 10 days ..............4,845................... 5,004................... 5,130
Greater than 10 days ..............1,159................... 1,848 ...................2,697
.................................................. .12,123 .................13,401 .................13,509


What's this? Single day absences - what Senator McGuaran alluded to as "sickies" in a senate hearing - ACTUALLY DECREASED BY 865.

And there was an increase of more than 800 cases of sick leave lasting 10 days or more. But guess what? That kind of sick leave gets looked at VERY CLOSELY by the employer, and needs doctors certificates to support it. (in fact, 2 or more days needs a doctors certificate) It also suggests that some people were seriously sick for extended periods - WHICH is another reason why the actual number of available controllers is in dispute. You cannot count people on long term sick leave as available staff.

What we have is an decreasing number of aging staff.[QUOTE]


These figures are alarming and in the long run are unsustainable for any industry. I cannot imagine any business being able to stay afloat if you had to cover so much unplanned absenteeism.

Before I get flamed the reason that employees would engage in such high rate of absenteeism is that they just don't want to be at work and the blame for such behaviour would have to rest solely with the way the business is run.

I enjoy going to work and so do the vast majority of my co workers. I put this down to:

1.you will be fired if you take too many sick single days.
2.your licence will be suspended by the regulator for more than 12 sick days in a 12 month period and you will be asked to show cause. In effect medical absenteeism is individually monitored by the regulators medical officers not by some HR clerk/manager using spurious criteria.
3.we are on a liveable work rotation with no short turn-arounds.
4.our work is challenging and a true team ethos is encouraged by local management.
5.we are not unduly crucified for minor errors and a environment of full safety reporting is encouraged (albeit the latter has only occurred in the 18 months).

I can tell you from personal experience that with regards to items 2, 3 & 4 AsA failed miserably in the last 5 or so years that I was there.
Like others have said before me a quick 4% pay rise isn't going to fix any of these problems.
Additionally CASA has to grow a set of balls and protect the travelling public, aviation stakeholders as well as controllers at the work face.