ASA ATCO working hours

[bekolblockage]

Anyone from ASA able to advise your rostering principals including max time at the work position and minimum break?

Thanks in advance.

Bekolblockage

[tobzalp]

Technically there is no max. We have a system that models possible fatigue and a score of 80 is allegedly the highest you can be at and work. This of course is only the case if you want a shift swap as if they are going to close sectors due staff shortage, suddenly scores above 80 become acceptable.


There is a base that a roster can be written at though. Something along the lines of 6 hours min shift, 10 max, more than 30 hours 2 days off after, 10 hours between shifts at normal rate and 8 between for additional duty (over time), nothing to start or finish between 0000 and 0500 72 hours a fortnight on average over the 'roster period'. Some of these things need staff approval and pretty much anything goes these days via facilitive arrangement coupled with the spinelessness/selfishness of many staff.

The roster period is a made up term and means what ever. I worked a roster that was to be valid for 4 months but acquited over 5:D This meant that at the end of the roster period, Airservices owed me 3 days off. In true AsA fashion, the roster team leader knew this would happen and actually had the grand total in a spread sheet but said nothing until I pointed it out to them.:=
Have you read the last few pages of the global recruitment thread?:suspect:

[Blockla]

The POR runs to about 5 (A4) pages in length and can be accessed "publically"

here (http://www.wagenet.gov.au/WageNet/Search/view.asp?docid=180334&query=(AIRSERVICES%20AUSTRALIA)&page=20&quickview=Y)

and

here (http://www.wagenet.gov.au/WageNet/Search/view.asp?docid=180334&query=(AIRSERVICES%20AUSTRALIA)&page=21&quickview=Y)

As PLAZBOT says, no guarantees about time on/off; OH&S guidelines often quoted re screen based environments and a concept in TAAATS if of 2 hours on (at least) .5 off as a minimum; but these are often exceeded; (breaks due to combined positions) and "time on the console" due to extra staffing not available as combined consoles was expected but didn't happen etc. In some places rosters have one able body for 3 hour periods on some shifts.

Night shifts are inconsistent everywhere; some have double staff some don't; it's a complete mystery and just depends on where you get posted.

[bekolblockage]

Have you read the last few pages of the global recruitment thread?

Yeh. Which explains why I'm not coming back in a hurry. :ok:

Thanks for the links Blockla.

[On the beach]

Bekol
If you fall asleep on the bus to work that automatically puts you over the 100 points mark and makes you unavailable for proper work!!!

[bekolblockage]

unavailable for proper work
You mean as opposed to what I do now.:}
Seem to recall falling asleep on the bus in the middle of the runway once - throw a dyce can confirm that.
Thats gotta be worth at least 200 points dunnit?! :ok:

[throw a dyce]

I think it's the Chinese days off that make you fall asleep.Yeah you did doze off in the middle of 25L,but it was really really interesting.:zzz:
Not like the Chinese Dunnie in the north Fire Station though.You couldn't fall asleep for laughing.God that airport was a quality build.;)

[throw a dyce]

Bekol,
If you want I can give you the UK version.HK based theres on that ,but they forgot about minimum time off etc.

[Funk]

:rolleyes: how typical that AsA pro ports itself to be a 1st world provider but has no defined limits on console duty hours (I personally have sat in position in Tops for over three hours without a break several times)
Here in the UAE we are limited by our CAR's to 2.5hrs on followed by 0.5hr off, we are able to exceed this only in exceptional circumstances and an occurrence report must be submitted afterwards.

[divingduck]

Assumes broad northern English accent....

Three hours? You were looky! Back in my day (Tops circa 1995) we did 7 hour doggos without a break! Didn't do oos no 'arm. Tell that t' kids today, and they won't believe ya!

[Funk]

Duck that was during daylight, 6 1/2 hours without a break on the doggo was a given. Usually they couldn't replace the doggo dive or just never had anyone rostered for it in the first place. Love sitting there swapping from the busy sector to the quite sector to get a break and the HF coord light flashing incessantly.....stopping you from falling asleep :{

[bekolblockage]

I notice the Agreement as linked by Blockla expired in 2005 - anything to replace it or has it been extended?
Staggered to see that there is no statutory limit on time at the console. Not the sort of thing I'd want to benchmark against.:eek: I can't believe Association agreed to this. :=
Have a copy of the CAP670 ATS Safety Requirements thanks Throw a dyce. Now thats more like it. :ok:

[SM4 Pirate]

Belko;

here is the current agreement (http://www.wagenet.gov.au/WageNet/Search/View.ASP?docid=276791&query=(AIRSERVICES%20AUSTRALIA)&quickview=Y)

See 4.2 Hours of work.

Re breaks, the association never had a max/min duty time in place; I think people were hoping the regulator (CASA) would actually regulate; but alas it seems not.

Certainly something that we could add to the log of claims for the next agreement; assuming there will be a log of claims.

[Quokka]

Civilair should lobby the ALP Shadow Minister and approach CASA formally with a request for limitation on working hours to be regulated by CASA on the grounds of safety.

That way, it's on paper that the safety issue (and solution) was identified and communicated to CASA. In the aftermath of the collision, the CASA will have to answer to the Coroner's Court as to why they didn't regulate the hours in response to an identified threat to the safety of aircraft and occupants.

If you include it in the EBA then Airservices will ignore it and argue that acceptance by the controller (after intimidation) constitutes an FA and therefore negates the EBA provision for limitations of working hours. They will find some way to ignore it or drag out it out in the IRC or simply refuse to include it in the negotiations.

If you lobby the Shadow Minister successfully, then it will be incorporated in the legislation during the first session after the Federal Election.