As an operational ATCO who is still pre-40 (just!), I can say that most operational ATCO's do enjoy the job. It's the politics and the peripheral stuff that ruin it (not to mention those ATCO's that are still operational and taking their pension and still winging about everything in the world!!) but I expect that's the same in any large organisation. One thing that is definitely true today is that you do get plenty of leave but at my unit (47+ATCO') trying to get the leave when you require it has become almost a nightmare! You end up squabbling with your colleagues as to which cycles you can have off in the summer, some cycles only 1 ATCO can be off the roster at any 1 time and as far as christmas leave is concerned.......what a joke!! All I can say is that if Santa worked in ATC you wouldn't get your prezzies!!! I must work with people who all want the same time off?? Funny that!