Chesty,
I believe the point he's trying to make is that, going back to the publication of the roster, all those hours are to be meant as working hours. He isn't complaining about having to be there per se. He is just letting you know that they actually are there (question from leatherpants about stdby time comes to mind).
Leatherpants: it isn't english at all actually, turns out I'm human after all. Big surprise there? What mob? Are you here just to stir things up? Good luck...not.
Again, for the thousand time, I am not defending any position. I just believe that what has been imposed to the ATCO's in Spain is wrong. No need to be a genius to understand that lots of these problems are a consequence of the new law. But here we are throwing sh1t between ourselves. Like that is gonna sort anything. I mean, some pilots here complain that working to rule achieves nothing, and that controllers not being flexible only makes pilots not being flexible. Woohoo! I am going on holidays tomorrow and taking the eurotunnel with my own car. You all lose.
SAFETY ladies and gentlemen is what I'm about. Make controllers work 28 out of 30 days, treat them like scum on TV and press, and at the same time reduce their breaks, T&C's, increase workload...well, hardly surprising there may be problems. This wasn't the controllers decision. Are they acting correctly? Probably not, nobody's perfect. I believe though that the system in Spain os going down to bits and it is not just the guys fault. If the captain decides to sink the ship little is there to do for the people in the engine room. Even if they try they have a big job ahead. Which they do, there's plenty of room for improvement. There always is everywhere.
Safe landings.