I disagree. As an Air Traffic Controller I was used to being suspended pending investigation into any incident. If someone is potentially incapable why should they be allowed to continue with their activities?
A few possible reasons:
- the ATCO is being
paid to do that job, and a suspension on full pay is the only way to investigate the case without him suing the employer for a raft of stuff e.g. constructive dismissal, not to mention him having to turn up for work and do his job under pressure/worry while he is being investigated
- a dodgy ATCO could wreak a lot more havoc than a dodgy pilot ?
- the ATC regulators will have a lot more investigative resources, post-incident, than the CAA is ever going to throw at a case which - at the time - consists probably only of allegations