VIOLATION FAR 65.47 CTLR MAX HRS ON DUTY. STAFFING PROB.

Narrative

STAFFING AND OVERTIME RESOURCES AT KENNEDY TWR HAVE BEEN REDUCED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YRS TO THE EXTENT THAT EFFICIENCY; AND MORE IMPORTANTLY SAFETY; ARE BEING COMPROMISED. 4 YRS AGO; MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS FOR SHIFTS AT THE TWR CONSISTED OF 3 CTLRS ON THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT; 6 CTLRS ON THE DAY SHIFT; AND 12 CTLRS ON THE EVENING SHIFT. THIS WAS WITH A TOTAL STAFFING OF 34 CTLRS AND 3 AIR TFC ASSISTANTS. PRESENTLY; THERE ARE 25 CTLRS AND 1 AIR TFC ASSISTANT ASSIGNED TO KENNEDY TWR. MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS FOR THE MID; DAY; AND EVENING SHIFTS ARE 2; 4; AND 8 CTLRS; RESPECTIVELY. OVERTIME FUNDING HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY CUT; AND THE AMOUNT OF AIR TFC HANDLED EACH YR CONTINUES TO INCREASE. SHIFTS REGULARLY FALL BELOW THE MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS; DUE TO SICK LEAVE AND EMER LEAVE; AND NO ADDITIONAL PERSONS ARE CALLED IN; ON OVERTIME; TO COVER. ARTICLE 33; SECTION 1 OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BTWN THE FAA AND THE NATIONAL AIR TFC CTLRS ASSOCIATION STATES THAT 'WHEN OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS PERMIT; EMPLOYEES SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO SPEND MORE THAN 2 CONSECUTIVE HRS PERFORMING OPERATIONAL DUTIES WITHOUT A BREAK AWAY FROM OPERATIONAL AREAS.' WHEN SHIFTS FALL BELOW THE MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS; CTLRS RISK REMAINING AT THE OPERATIONAL AREA FOR MORE THAN 2 CONSECUTIVE HRS; WITH A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY. THE EVENTS DESCRIBED BELOW TOOK PLACE OVER THE PAST 24 HRS: THE FEB/FRI/96 DAY SHIFT WAS ASSIGNED 4 CTLRS. 1 CTLR CALLED IN SICK. WHEN A TMC AT THE TWR; WHO WAS PRESENT FOR THE DAY SHIFT; CALLED THE ASSISTANT AIR TFC MGR (AATM) AT HOME TO APPRISE HIM OF THE REDUCED STAFFING; HE WAS ADVISED BY THE AATM NOT TO CALL ANYONE IN FOR OVERTIME UNTIL THE AATM ARRIVED AT THE TWR. SUBSEQUENTLY; 1 CTLR WAS BROUGHT IN ON OVERTIME. AS A RESULT OF THE DELAYED OVERTIME CALL AND LACK OF STAFFING; 3 CTLRS WERE REQUIRED AT THE OPERATIONAL AREA FOR MORE THAN 2 HRS DURING THIS DAY SHIFT. ADDITIONALLY; DURING THE PREVIOUS MID SHIFT; FUMES IN THE TWR CABN REQUIRED ITS EVAC FOR A SHORT TIME. THE 2 CTLRS ON THE MID SHIFT; EVEN AFTER HAVING BEEN EXPOSED TO THESE NAUSEATING VAPORS AND WISHING TO GO HOME; COULD NOT BE RELEASED SINCE ONLY 2 CTLRS HAD ARRIVED FOR THE DAY SHIFT; AND THEY STAYED BEYOND THEIR 8 HR SHIFT UNTIL THE 3RD CTLR SHOWED UP. THAT AFTERNOON; DUE TO HAZARDOUS WX CONDITIONS (SNOW); STAFFING FOR THE EVENING SHIFT WAS REDUCED TO 7 CTLRS; AND NO OVERTIME WAS CALLED IN. DUE TO THE LACK OF STAFFING; 3 CTLRS WERE REQUIRED AT THE OPERATIONAL AREA; TOWARD THE LATTER PART OF THE SHIFT (AFTER MIDNIGHT); FOR MORE THAN 2 HRS. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD; THE WX WAS IFR WITH REDUCED CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY IN SNOW; 2 OUT OF 4 RWYS WERE CLOSED; AND KENNEDY ARPT APCHED 'GRIDLOCK' STATUS DUE TO GND CONGESTION; SECONDARY DEICING; A LACK OF GATES FOR ARRS; AND ACFT TAXIING FOR DEP. FURTHER COMPLICATING AN ALREADY DIFFICULT SIT WERE A NUMBER OF DEP ACFT NEEDING TO RETURN TO THEIR RAMPS FOR DEICING; AND MULTIPLE MISSED APCHS DUE TO A STRONG XWIND ON THE LNDG RWY. DEP DELAYS INCREASED TO 45 MINS OVER A 50 MIN PERIOD; AND DELAYS DID NOT DECREASE TO LESS THAN 15 MINS UNTIL 1 HR 25 MINS AFTER THE FIRST DELAY. FURTHER COMPOUNDING A STRESSFUL SIT WERE NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS FROM AIRLINE COMPANIES; REQUESTING FLT INFO AND FIELD CONDITIONS. AGAIN; ALL THIS TOOK PLACE WITH STAFFING AT LEVELS BELOW THE MINIMUM REQUIRED AND WITH PEOPLE AT THE OPERATIONAL AREA FOR MORE THAN 2 HRS. ADDITIONALLY; DUE TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD AND COMPLEXITY; 2 CTLRS COULD NOT EVEN BE RELEASED FROM THEIR SHIFTS UNTIL THEY HAD WORKED BTWN 10 1/2 HRS AND 11 1/4 HRS; A NORMAL SHIFT IS 8-10 HRS. THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPHS ARE FACTUAL; DOCUMENTED; AND 'AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.' MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO INCREASE STAFFING AND OVERTIME FUNDING; THROUGH THE FAA; HAVE FAILED. LOBBYING OF CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS IS IN PROGRESS IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE STAFFING AND OVERTIME RESOURCES AT THE TWR; TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO THE OVERWORKED WORKFORCE.