Put the roster and leave issues to one side.
Why, FFS?
Thats the crux of the problem you idiot. Who say's the rise in incidents is not due to fatigue? Have a look into the eyes and faces of the young ones- they're f
d already. Ready for 68 movements an hour boys and girls? Its just around the corner. Or are you going to show some solidarity and put your foot down and say no-we're not doing it. Stuff your target movement numbers. Start shutting down a few sectors- we don;t have the staff to man them.
When is someone going to admit that they stuffed up and didn't recruit enough people 5 years ago?
I see you journos didn't do what was suggested and go to the Bureau level and rattle a few cages. Why wouldn't they approve additional controllers in 2006 when CAD told them there would be a shortage. Even the Dir Gen on day 1 in his job told them they were 50 short! Guess he was shut up quick smart.
So now in 2011, with a high % of Approach controllers over 60 (some 63 can you believe! - nowhere else in the world will you find 63 year old radar controllers still doing Approach at a 1000+ movement a day airport!!) and a heap of the locals due for retirement, the Bureua sh1t themselves and say, ok ok you can take on 30 students
Holy crap, it will be 2016 before these young ones are of any use to the system. Meanwhile at least 30 controllers will retire in the next 3 years and we're back to square one!
If ever there was a reason to tell Airport Authority not to bother with a third runway coz CAD can't even find the controllers to run the show, AND GET LEAVE THEY ARE ENTITLED TO, then this is it.