Disgraceful behavior by Newark employees worsens danger

[unicorn]

I heard on the news that 5 air traffic control employees took 45 days off of "trauma leave," blaming stress over equipment failures at that airport. That airport already suffers from understaffing, and this action will obviously necessitate more overtime and pressure from those who remain, as well as more danger to the public. I find this behavior reprehensible and irresponsible. Although I felt stress as a primary care physician (as well as real personal danger) during the COVID-19 pandemic, it never occurred to me to ditch my fellow health care professionals and take 45 days off due to stress. At the very least, I feel those employees should be required to get daily mental health evaluations to assess their levels of stress and determine their ability to return to work. It seems all highly unprofessional in my view.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/newark-air-traffic-control-lost-contact-pilots-least-twice-source-says-rcna205126

"...While the FAA has not said how many controllers are out on medical disability for stress, the controller who spoke with NBC News said the control tower is struggling to keep up with the flights because four experienced controllers and a trainee are now on leave. Replacing them will take time, an FAA spokesperson said, because any certified controller that applied or volunteered to move to the to the Philadelphia TRACON that guides planes into the Newark airspace would have to do additional training at the FAA's air traffic control training center in Oklahoma City. After which they would be required to do on-the-job training in Philadelphia.

On average, it takes about a year and a half to be certified as an air traffic controller in any facility, the spokesperson said. The FAA moved the controllers who are responsible for aircraft arriving and departing from Newark from a facility on Long Island to Philadelphia last year. The move was meant to reduce the workload of the controllers in that facility who were also handling traffic for New York City’s major airports. United CEO Scott Kirby said Monday the Philadelphia TRACON “has been chronically understaffed for years.”...".

https://nypost.com/2025/05/08/opinion/faa-workers-dont-need-phony-trauma-leave-after-newark-airport-disaster/

"The Newark Liberty International Airport mess just keeps getting more alarming: Now it turns out that an insane leave policy for air traffic controllers is adding to the chaos. Yes, controllers can take 45 days off to handle alleged “trauma” caused by … equipment failures. Yes, preventing plane crashes is a high-stress job, and it’s surely freaky when your radar cuts out — but that’s not trauma, and treating it as such is deeply irresponsible. One, it’s yet another major intrusion of therapy culture into everyday life, in which the slightest adverse event gets magnified into a life-altering disaster that requires endless healing time. Two, it’s literally putting other people’s lives in danger...".

[PeterRS]

Air traffic controllers not turning up really concerns me. It reminds me of Ronald Reagan's decision to fire 11,359 air traffic controllers after most had gone on strike for shorter working weeks, and hire new ones. How do you train someone to be an air traffic controller almost overnight? Sure, retired ones can come back to the job, but those who are older might suffer from slight eyesight and other ageing issues. To me, an air traffic controller is as important as the pilot of an A380 jumbo, if not more so.

[Keithambrose]

I don't blame them for being stressed. A really high profile job, and they must be wondering  when some 21 year old kid will come in, says he's from DOGE, and fires them!

[PeterRS]

I have never been inside an air traffic control centre and can only base my thoughts on what I see in movies. On that basis, the entire system seems almost antiquated. No doubt it works, but having controllers depend on moveable strips and old-fashioned radar screens is desperately out of date.

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

I don't blame them for being stressed. A really high profile job, and they must be wondering  when some 21 year old kid will come in, says he's from DOGE, and fires them!

I  think you hit the nail

[unicorn]

8 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

I don't blame them for being stressed. A really high profile job, and they must be wondering  when some 21 year old kid will come in, says he's from DOGE, and fires them!

No one is suggesting it's not stressful. However, the event didn't merit abandoning one's co-workers and the public for over 6 weeks. Hopefully, they're at least keeping tabs on these 5 shady people, to make sure they're not living it up on a nice paid vacation. During 2020, most of my colleagues and I felt we were in grave (even mortal) danger at our jobs (and I would have felt even more frightened had I known at that time that the N95 masks I wore for protection were essentially useless). I didn't hear of a single person where I worked who took off due to "stress." It was our job to help save the lives of others, and we knew the risks involved before we started our training. 

What would our society be like if people whose job it is to ensure public safety took off at the slightest hint of danger? How about fire fighters or police officers? I think most people can see these 5 employees' actions as an opportunity for some paid time off--with serious consequences. I just hope there are consequences. I wouldn't want to work with someone who high-tails it when the going gets rough. Like fire fighters or other first-responders, this is probably not the appropriate job for someone who can't handle pressure. 

[floridarob]

7 hours ago, PeterRS said:

I have never been inside an air traffic control centre and can only base my thoughts on what I see in movies. On that basis, the entire system seems almost antiquated. No doubt it works, but having controllers depend on moveable strips and old-fashioned radar screens is desperately out of date.

I've been to the tower and TRACON room at MCO- Orlando airport....prior to 9/11 when they allowed visitors. 2 of my neighbors worked there.....they shared some interesting stories, I can't fathom what it's like today with so many more flights and working under this administration.

[vinapu]

15 hours ago, unicorn said:

No one is suggesting it's not stressful. However, the event didn't merit abandoning one's co-workers and the public for over 6 weeks. Hopefully, they're at least keeping tabs on these 5 shady people,

what about giving them some benefit of doubt ?