Interesting story on BBC

[250 kts]

2six4. You are right in that that should one choose not to do anything then they don't have to. I should have used the phrase "PERCEIVED strings".

Let there be no doubt that there will be people who will volunteer to work this overtime-because that is what it is,and both sides will come to rely on this as a normal part of Working Practices. It will need to be very carefully regulated to ensure that we do not have the shambles which surrounded the OCT deal last year. And let's not forget that the going price for a days' work has fallen by around 40%. If we really think this will end in 2003 then we are living on another planet. indeed there will be no significant increase in numbers for at least 2 years and probably longer than that-unless the Flexible Retirement scheme is withdrawn.

The part of the deal relating to retired ATCOs being allowed back is worrying as this could lead to a potential blockage on promotion. There is little enough job progression for ATCOs as it is and this could make it even worse.

I suspect and hope that the deal will just just be carried but that few if any work the overtime.

Management also say that the aspiration of controllers will be self-funding. If that isn't a guarded way of saying that jobs could go I don't know what is. They may not be ATCO ones but jobs all the same. And if not jbs then certainly a threat to our T&Cs.

dontshoot.

I think it stands to reason that any operation is less safe if the staff have potentially had no sleep for approaching 24 hours. I may be wrong but hey I'm only human. I know that I certainly don't function particularly well at 0630 on the 2nd night. Why do airlines have a 3 man crew for flights over a certain time limit-safety or just to give 'em a free trip to LAX/SFO etc-I think the former!!

I will reiterate that at Swanwick,which is responsible for most of the delays at present,staff work all of both nights and just one going sick often leads to airspace being closed. This is a FACT. Yes there may be units which still have a surplus on nights but Swanwick ain't one of them.

I look forward to an acknowledgement of this and if you have any bright ideas on how better to keep a 24 hour operation going on the shoe-string numbers we have let's all hear it.