An exclusive report by the New York Post claims that on Monday evening between 18:30 to 21:30, flights out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) were handled by just one air traffic controller and a trainee. The report quotes a New York-based controller describing the situation as “pure insanity.” It also noted that an FAA spokesperson said that there were at least three controllers scheduled for each hour on Monday night but did not clarify how many of them were fully certified personnel.
The New York Times reported something similar, adding that four people familiar with the situation said that the number of fully certified controllers on duty to manage Newark’s air traffic was sometimes one or two. These figures are shocking because the target number of controllers for Newark to manage traffic in those hours is around 14-15.
I don’t know the full details, but I’m not sure how being more organized in the Reagan era would have helped. If the boss is willing to fire everyone, then a strike doesn’t matter anymore.
I guess you could do more to try to prevent scabs from coming in? It’s already incredibly difficult to train up the scabs in this particular niche, and they were willing to go that route, anyway.
They’re understaffed as fuck. The scabs would be completely unqualified and people will die. Not a good look for those striking but at this point it sounds like every day without a crash is a miracle. I completely support a strike.
They’re not slaves. If they’re getting fucked then they have every right to not work.