MCI TWR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FAC STAFFING PROCS THAT MAKE SUPVR'S RELUCTANT TO USE CALL OUT OVERTIME.

Narrative

THIS WAS THE 3RD WINTER STORM OF THE SEASON AT MCI. AS WAS THE CASE IN OUR FIRST WINTER STORM WE HAD NO SUPVR IN THE TWR CAB FOR SEVERAL HRS IN THE AFTERNOON; EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE TWO IN THE BUILDING. (DURING THE FIRST WINTER STORM WHEN WE HAD NO SUPVR IN THE TWR CAB WE HAD AN OPERROR; ON FINAL.) THE SECOND SUPVR ON THIS OCCASION WAS WORKING ON ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES (WATCH SCHEDULE DEVELOPMENT) FOR SEVERAL HRS EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A WINTER STORM IN PROGRESS. THE TWR WAS EXTRA BUSY WITH WINTER TIME OPS: MULTIPLE RWY CLOSINGS/OPENINGS; EXTRA VEHICLE TFC WITH ALL OF THE SNOW PLOWS; SWEEPERS; ETC; ASSOCIATED WITH SNOW REMOVAL; RAPIDLY CHANGING WX CONDITIONS; DEICING; ETC. BUT STILL NO SUPVR IN THE TWR. WE WERE UNDERSTAFFED IN CTLRS FOR THIS SHIFT ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE WINTER STORM AND ALSO INCREASED TFC THE MKC ARPT DUE TO SEVERAL DOZEN ADDITIONAL FLTS COMING IN. BUT AS HAS BEEN TYPICAL WITH MGMNT DECISIONS AT MCI; NO OVERTIME WAS USED TO MAKE UP FOR THE SICK LEAVE HITS; AND SHORT STAFFING. AS A RESULT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SPLIT OUT NEEDED POS; AT LEAST 3 ACFT HAS TO BE BROKEN OFF THEIR APCHS (IN WINTER STORM CONDITIONS; AND RPTED ICING CONDITIONS) TO REFLY THE EXTRA MI OF A SECOND APCH. IN THE TWR CAB A CTLR ALREADY TIRED FROM WORKING WINTER STORM CONDITIONS WAS MADE TO WORK 2 HRS AND 35 MINS STRAIGHT ON POS; WITH NO BREAK; AT THE END OF HIS SHIFT; GETTING OFF POS ONLY 5 MINS BEFORE HE WENT HOME. THE DECISIONS OF MGMNT NOT TO CALL IN OVERTIME AT MCI HAS RESULTED IN A SHORTAGE OF CTLRS; RESULTING IN POS NOT BEING ABLE TO BE OPENED WHEN NEEDED; COMPROMISING SAFETY. TWICE LAST WEEK SUPVRS STATED THEY WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE OPENED POS EARLIER BUT THEY HAD NO ONE AVAILABLE TO DO IT. THE SUPVRS ARE ALSO ROUTINELY WORKING THE AD (DATA) POS COMBINED TO THEIR SUPVR POS RESULTING IN THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO OVERSEE THE OPS. THIS WAS DEFINITELY A FACTOR IN OUR LAST OPERROR. THE SUPVR WAS WORKING THE DATA POS COMBINED.