ATCO Sickness

[qcode]

Recent rumour is that the management at LBA have threatened one ofe their ATCO'S with discispinary action because of sickness. When the ATCO concerned asked for it to be put in writing to put forward to the CAA the management backed off.
To me this is a serious cause for human factors interference. Any other views
Rgds
Q

[055166k]

Down at Swanwick sickness is viewed somewhat differently, with further differences between ATCO and ATSA.
1. If an ATSA is sick then he/she is banned from overtime for 2 weeks [used to be a month]. If a sicknote is purchased from the doctor to cover absence of less than a week it is treated almost as "fraud". If you take sick-leave up to the permitted maximum, expect a visit to the "Star Chamber" office of the DGM.
2. Could this case be real....or is it a wind-up? Controller is a weird guy at the best of times and seems to attract sickness that co-incides with weekends. Longer period of sickness with more severe symptoms results in pulling of medical.....no problem...lots of office seats available. Undergoes trauma of no weekends, no nights, trips out of the office, lots of meetings to attend...super. Gets licence back for only short time, loses it, then back to the office.......perfectly placed for nod-nod wink-wink promotion.
Ah! those corridors of power...... the workers are so happy with this outcome.

qcode [serious bit]
advise ATCO to have witness present at all interviews and to take contemporaneous notes, especially if no union involvement or presence. Keep detailed diary and prepare file of any/all correspondence. Essential at this stage to ascertain whether any verbal interview that may have taken place to-date is considered by management to form part of the disciplinary process i.e. the stage before a written process.

[return to non-serious]
NATS is a super employer, all the managers are getting Family BUPA......the controllers are not allowed to be ill until 2008 when they will enjoy a more modest ordinary Worker BUPA.

Unless it gets voted out!