ferris - Management failure.
This may have been identified as a partial cause of the clearly deep problems within the organisation, but from a total safety perspective things need to be examined independently of Govt. in depth, otherwise there will just be a couple of scapegoats sacrificed on the altar of the demi god Cuveritup.
Step back and think for a moment of the ATC guy handling your departure or arrival at a busy terminal as a 'member' of the flight crew, things take on a different slant. I wouldn't want anyone with problems like this on the flight deck, but there they are on COM 1. Here is an essential team member stuck in a pressure cooker, badly managed, frustrated, angry, half asleep, denied options and probably under the pump at home due to overtime forcing another cancelled attendance at #2 son's birthday party.
As a Captain – I am responsible for the safety of the aircraft and must rely heavily on many other folk to get from A – B in one piece. ATC are IMO, one of the essential safety measures relied upon; and, I for one would like to think that the voice on COM 1 is at least partially sane, well rested, properly trained and not likely to pop a circuit breaker at a critical time.
Is this an issue for pilots ?; is it part of the complete mess our total air safety system is in ? – you betcha.