Six-days works weeks

[cresslime]

Hello mates

Reading this report :

Drop in number of controllers fueling debate on privatizing air traffic system: Travel Weekly (http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Drop-in-number-of-controllers-fueling-debate-on-privatizing-air-traffic-system)

what does really mean "six-day work weeks ? a roster of six days on duty / one leave ?
Sorry, seems an obviously question but....

[cossack]

I believe they have a standard 5 on 2 off work week (obviously not all Monday-Friday) but they have mandatory overtime scheduled for one of their two days off a week, hence the 6 day work week.

[chevvron]

In the UK, some units roster 6 days on and 3 off.

[Gonzo]

??

As cossack says; in the US, many ATCOs are working 6 on, 1 off due to mandatory overtime.

[cresslime]

Thank you both of you.
The standart roster in USA seems to be 5 duty & 2 leave, but if your 4th day on duty is a night shift the next "sleeping day" is included on the 5/2 roster? or you can end your roster 5 in night shift and then you have 5 + sleeping day + 1off?
Any FAA atco on the fórum to confirm this point?
Regards

[vector4fun]

Where I worked, the typical, normal schedule was two afternoon-evening shifts, followed by a mid-day and two morning shifts, OR, two afternoon-evening shifts, two morning shifts, and a mid- night shift. (2300-0700)

You could sleep all day after your mid, and still had 2 more days off.

The reason I retired a year before I was required to, was that I was scheduled for 6 day work weeks, with only one day off, and that was to train the new folks, who were mostly off-the-street hires with no background in aviation. That was more exhausting than just working traffic.

When I was hired by FAA in late '70s, with few exceptions, most hires were either ex-military ATC, or instrument rated pilots like myself.

[cresslime]

Thank you vector4fun , BTW which is the minimum/maximun age for retirement for FAA atcos? Somebody told me that at 46 you can leave, its true?

[jmmoric]

You can leave whenever you want ;)

[vector4fun]

which is the minimum/maximun age for retirement for FAA atcos? Somebody told me that at 46 you can leave, its true?

Not quite. You were eligible after 20 years and reaching age 50, or after 25 years at any age. Mandatory retirement age was 56. I retired at 55 with 30 years. Most of my crew retired within a year of me for similar reasons.

Many facilities now have similar issues. 6 Day weeks would have been OK when we were young, eager and needed the money. It gets damn old when the alimony/child support is all paid and work starts interfering with your golf game. ;)

[kcockayne]

vector4fun

Spoken like a true (ex) ATCO!

[N90-EWR]

I have been working mandatory 6 day weeks for the last 10 years, and due to our huge staffing crisis, that will continue long after I retire. I'm 48 with 25 years of service already, so even if I go to age 56 mandatory retirement, we'll still be understaffed.