A11 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FAC STAFFING.

Narrative

A SERIOUS SIT IS DEVELOPING AT A11 ANC TRACON. A11 IS SHORT STAFFED AND MANAGEMENT REFUSES TO SCHEDULE OT TO ADEQUATELY COVER OUR SHIFTS. THIS MAY BE BECAUSE THE WESTERN PACIFIC SVC AREA HAS TOLD THEM TO DO THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS; ONLY THAT IT WILL GET WORSE AS THE DAYS GET LONGER AND WE GO INTO OUR SUMMER MONTHS WHERE TFC TYPICALLY DOUBLES; AND AT TIMES; TRIPLES THAT OF OUR WINTER TFC COUNTS. UPON ARRIVING FOR WORK THIS DATE AND TIME THERE WAS NO SUPVR ON DUTY. I WAS INFORMED BY THE CIC THAT ALL PERSONNEL EXCEPT ONE HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THE 1400 SHIFTS AND WERE IN FACT DUE TO LEAVE AT THAT TIME; LEAVING ONE PERSON TO WORK A TWO SECTOR TFC SIT AND ALSO ACT AS THE WATCH SUPVR/CIC. AT THE TIME OF MY ARR NR AND SR WERE SPLIT; AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SINCE THE MIL WAS FLYING AND AN EMER WAS IN PROGRESS. I WAS INFORMED THAT UNLESS I CHOSE TO SIGN IN AT 2200L; THE ONE PERSON WOULD BE LEFT ALONE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I CHOSE TO SIGN IN AT 2200L. HAD I NOT SIGNED IN; THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ONLY ONE CTLR WITH MODERATE TFC OF A SOMEWHAT COMPLEX NATURE AND AN IFE IN PROGRESS. THIS LEVEL OF TFC AT THIS TIME OF NIGHT IS NOT UNUSUAL AT A11; ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TIME OF YR. AFTER BEING BRIEFED BY THE CIC AND ASSUMING HIS DUTIES (BRIEFING TOOK APPROX 3 MINS); I RE-OPENED SR AT THE REMAINING CTLR'S REQUEST; RELIEVING HIM OF THE SR FREQS. I ALSO DID QUITE A BIT OF COORDINATION FOR THE NR CTLR FROM SR. F15'S WERE FLYING AS WERE TWO C130'S; AN F15 WITH AN IFE; AND SEVERAL INBOUNDS TO ANC. IT WAS A TWO CTLR SIT ALL THE WAY. I COMBINED CIC WITH SR AT WHICH TIME THERE WAS NO GENERAL OVERSIGHT FOR THE OPERATION. I ADVISED THE TWO DEPARTING CTLRS THAT SINCE THE BRIEFINGS HAD OCCURRED AFTER THE END OF THEIR SHIFT; THEY WERE; PER CONTRACT; AUTHORIZED 2 HOURS OF OT. NEITHER ELECTED TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF SAME. I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THE TWO WERE AFRAID OF MANAGEMENT REPRISALS AGAINST THEM IF THEY ELECTED TO TAKE THE OT. THIS FAC UNION REP EXACTLY DESCRIBED THIS SIT AS IN A MEETING THAT HE AND MYSELF HAD WITH THE FAC MANAGER AND ASSISTANT MANAGER. WE CAUTIONED THESE MANAGERS THAT THIS SIT WAS NOT UNUSUAL AND IN FACT; COULD/WOULD HAPPEN MANY TIMES THIS SUMMER. THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF A VERY LARGE ICEBERG. IT APPEARS THAT THE LACK OF SCHEDULED STAFFING WAS CREATED IN TWO PARTS. AN INITIAL SCHEDULING ERROR THAT HAD A CTLR ON A 1500 SHIFT ONE DAY AND THEN BACK TO A 6 AM SHIFT ON THE NEXT DAY. THE SCHEDULING SUPVR WHO SIGNED OFF ON THE TWO-WEEK SCHEDULE DID NOT CATCH THIS ERROR. THIS SIT WAS FURTHER EXACERBATED BY YET ANOTHER SUPVR CHANGING THAT CTLR'S SHIFT TO A 1400 ON AN ALREADY VERY SHORT EVENING RATHER THAN INSTRUCTING HIM TO WORK AS SCHEDULED; COME IN AT 7 AM ON THE NEXT DAY AND GIVING EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR THE HOUR BETWEEN 6 AM AND 7 AM. THE DAY SHIFT WAS MUCH BETTER STAFFED AND WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN ENHANCED BY HIM REPORTING AT 7 AM. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WAS SEVERELY LACKING IN THIS INSTANCE AND COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS. THERE WERE BETTER OPTIONS AVAILABLE THAN TO CRITICALLY SHORT THE EVENING WATCH. WITH ALL THAT WAS GOING ON UPON MY ARR; HAD THE FAC BEEN LEFT WITH ONLY ONE CTLR AT 2200 HRS; IT WOULD; IN MY OPINION; HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SIT ALL FOR THE SAKE OF NOT PROPERLY SCHEDULING PERSONNEL AND OR UTILIZING MINIMAL OT. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT MANAGEMENT WILL CONTINUE TO SHORT STAFF AND DENY OT AT THIS FAC DURING THE BUSIEST TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN WE NEED IT THE MOST. THERE IS MUCH SUPPOSITION AND SPECULATION AS TO WHY THIS FAC IS IN THIS SIT. IT IS NOT FOR ME TO SUPPOSE OR SPECULATE WHY; ONLY TO REPORT THAT WHICH I FEEL UNSAFE. THE FAA IS NOW TRYING TO DOLLAR COST AVERAGE EVERY ASPECT OF ATC AND AS THAT TREND CONTINUES; THINGS CAN ONLY BECOME LESS SAFE TO THE POINT OF BEING DRAMATICALLY DANGEROUS. I SUSPECT THAT ANC IS NOT ALONE IN THESE TYPES OF PROBS.