For some reason I don’t think this would fly (no pun intended) in the non-unionized private sector. Two flights, one was United Airlines and the other was American Airlines, landed at Reagan National Airport without any assistance from air traffic controllers just after midnight. There was one air traffic controller on the job at the time who did not respond to calls from the flights’ pilots.
The board doesn’t yet know why the worker didn’t respond to calls and is looking into the possibility the controller was asleep, he said. The planes were in contact with controllers at a regional center in Virginia, he said.
Shortly after the United flight landed, the tower was responsive, Knudson said.
The Federal Aviation Administration declined to say whether the controller was asleep or whether any action was taken against the worker. “The FAA is looking into staffing issues and whether existing procedures were followed appropriately,” agency spokeswoman Laura Brown said.
Thankfully, both flights landed safely.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never fallen asleep while on the job, or disappeared for unknown reasons. Then again, I’m not a public employee and I’m also not part of a union. Perhaps if I had fallen asleep during those four weeks I worked for the state government I may have gotten away with it. But as much as I would have liked a mid-afternoon nap, I resisted.
*Disclaimer: I have fallen asleep once or twice while at the computer blogging late at night. But nobody’s paying me, and I have a day job, so it doesn’t count.
Update: The title of this post has changed because subsequent news reports indicate that the controller in question was a supervisor, and therefore most likely was not a union member.
Tags: Air Traffic Controller, asleep, Reagan National, union
Are they unionized? Seems like that would be an important citation to make in your post…
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Yes, and most are employees of the FAA.
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Please get your facts straight. According to news sources the controller was a supervisor.
FAA management including supervisors are not unionized. So NO a union member was not involved in this incident.
I guess that busts your theory about a UNION protecting someone falling asleep on the job.
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What news sources? I’m listening to a report right now, and there is no mention of the controller being a supervisor.
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Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, MSNBC,
NTSB probing planes landing without clearance because air traffic supervisor asleep
By JOAN LOWY , Associated Press
Last update: March 24, 2011 – 2:01 AM
WFAA.com
Air traffic controller supervisor suspected to have fallen asleep on duty
by MONIKA DIAZ
Boston News, Huffington Post
D.C. Air Traffic Controller Asleep At Switch?
An aviation official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the incident, said an air traffic supervisor — the lone controller on duty around midnight on Tuesday when the incident occurred — had fallen asleep.
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Was it really a supervisor, or a “controller in charge?” A “lone controller” on duty would be considered to be the “controller in charge,” or what many would assume is a supervisor.
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Yes, you are correct that a lone controller would be considered a controller in charge. Since you seem to know the FAA lingo please read the excerpt from a USA Today story. Knowing the lingo of the FAA you must be aware for the FAA to say that the unnamed supervisor has been removed “from all operational duties” would lead one to believe that a controller in charge was not involved in the incident. Since controllers rarely have non operational duties and the FAA usually suspends a controller from all duties pending an investigation while they will typically suspend a supervisor from operational duties pending an investigation.
Air traffic controller suspended after jets land on own
By Alan Levin, USA TODAY
Postedocument.write(niceDate(’3/24/2011 1:59:36 PM’)); 47m ago |
WASHINGTON — The Washington Reagan National Airport supervisor who failed to respond to numerous radio and telephone calls early Wednesday, forcing two jets to land on their own, was suspended Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Pilots of two planes were unable to reach the air traffic controller Tuesday night at Washington’s Reagan National Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced that the unnamed supervisor has been removed “from all operational duties” while the agency investigates the incident.
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According to the FAA a supervisor, who is a non Union employee, was asleep on the job. I guess your statement that
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve never fallen asleep while on the job, or disappeared for unknown reasons. Then again, I’m not a public employee and I’m also not part of a union. Perhaps if I had fallen asleep during those four weeks I worked for the state government I may have gotten away with it” is incorrect.
Unionized employees are not the only ones to fall asleep on the job. A supervisor who should clearly be held to a higher standard (and is not a Union employee) fell asleep on the job. As for this supervisor ” getting away with it” only time will tell. In my experience management protects management.
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http://www.kittycatchats.com
NOW, here are my thoughts, have the FAA provide naps and snack time, if it is good enough for Kindergarten children then the why not for Air Traffic Controllers? Throw in a little mat and blanket due to union regulations, and problem fixed!
http://www.kittycatchats.com/search/label/My%20Mewings
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