Narrative:

Not an incident with particular aircraft -- just a generally unsafe situation wherein controllers are assigned to operational position for long period of time for no operational necessity. Controllers are fatigued. For example; I was on a sector from XF06 to XH25 with no break. Food is no longer allowed in the control room either; and I hadn't eaten since breakfast at XA30. I was very tired and hungry working moderate to heavy traffic. Had staffing been properly managed (meaning not staffing position during periods of little or no traffic); relief would have been available before things got so bad. Another sector was extremely busy but had no d-side because management was staffing other; much less busy sectors. This current staffing policy is not that of first level management; but is a punitive effort established by higher authority/authorized by a person or persons who clearly do not understand the dynamics of ATC nor the first thing about human relations or personnel management. High level discussions; which we're told are progressing; are having no effect on the working conditions in the field. These conditions are not limited to ARTCC's. Controllers at all types of ATC facilities are suffering under the agency's illegally imposed work rules. This may be temporary; but the effects will be felt long after the current administrator retires. More importantly; the individuals tasked with the separation of live air traffic are suffering now -- daily. It's becoming increasingly dangerous out here as the sitting administrator's offensive is carried out. The checks and balances of the system have been unilaterally eradicated and I fear the end result will be -- well it's just not safe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CTLR EXPRESSES CONCERN REGARDING THE CURRENT FACILITY AGENCY STAFFING POLICY; CITING UNNECESSARY POS STAFFING THAT LIMITS FLEXIBILITY.

Narrative: NOT AN INCIDENT WITH PARTICULAR ACFT -- JUST A GENERALLY UNSAFE SITUATION WHEREIN CTLRS ARE ASSIGNED TO OPERATIONAL POS FOR LONG PERIOD OF TIME FOR NO OPERATIONAL NECESSITY. CTLRS ARE FATIGUED. FOR EXAMPLE; I WAS ON A SECTOR FROM XF06 TO XH25 WITH NO BREAK. FOOD IS NO LONGER ALLOWED IN THE CTL ROOM EITHER; AND I HADN'T EATEN SINCE BREAKFAST AT XA30. I WAS VERY TIRED AND HUNGRY WORKING MODERATE TO HVY TFC. HAD STAFFING BEEN PROPERLY MANAGED (MEANING NOT STAFFING POS DURING PERIODS OF LITTLE OR NO TFC); RELIEF WOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE BEFORE THINGS GOT SO BAD. ANOTHER SECTOR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY BUT HAD NO D-SIDE BECAUSE MGMNT WAS STAFFING OTHER; MUCH LESS BUSY SECTORS. THIS CURRENT STAFFING POLICY IS NOT THAT OF FIRST LEVEL MGMNT; BUT IS A PUNITIVE EFFORT ESTABLISHED BY HIGHER AUTH BY A PERSON OR PERSONS WHO CLEARLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF ATC NOR THE FIRST THING ABOUT HUMAN RELATIONS OR PERSONNEL MGMNT. HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSIONS; WHICH WE'RE TOLD ARE PROGRESSING; ARE HAVING NO EFFECT ON THE WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE FIELD. THESE CONDITIONS ARE NOT LIMITED TO ARTCC'S. CTLRS AT ALL TYPES OF ATC FACILITIES ARE SUFFERING UNDER THE AGENCY'S ILLEGALLY IMPOSED WORK RULES. THIS MAY BE TEMPORARY; BUT THE EFFECTS WILL BE FELT LONG AFTER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATOR RETIRES. MORE IMPORTANTLY; THE INDIVIDUALS TASKED WITH THE SEPARATION OF LIVE AIR TFC ARE SUFFERING NOW -- DAILY. IT'S BECOMING INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS OUT HERE AS THE SITTING ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFENSIVE IS CARRIED OUT. THE CHKS AND BALS OF THE SYS HAVE BEEN UNILATERALLY ERADICATED AND I FEAR THE END RESULT WILL BE -- WELL IT'S JUST NOT SAFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.