ZTL CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING SHORT STAFFING ON MID SHIFT WITH NO APPARENT STEPS TO CALL IN OVERTIME.

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I CAME IN FOR A LATE NIGHT SHIFT AT ATLANTA ARTCC; AREA 7. ONE OTHER FPL WAS SCHEDULED TO WORK WITH ME; THAT PERSON DID NOT COME TO WORK. THE FPL SCHEDULED TO WORK WAS HELD OVER ON OVERTIME MAKING IT A 12 HR SHIFT. THE SUPVR DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CALL IN AN OVERTIME FOR THE MID-SHIFT. THE SUPVR CALLED AN FPL TO ASK (NOT ORDER) THEM TO COME IN EARLY FOR THEIR SHIFT; THEY STATED THEY WOULD 'TRY;' NO GUARANTEES. THE SUPVR TOLD ME THAT I COULD GO TO THE RESTROOM BEFORE XA00 AM AND AFTER XC00 AM; OTHER THAN THAT; I WAS BY MYSELF! I WAS ALONE IN THE AREA FROM XA00 AM TILL XB00 AM; AND WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE ENTIRE BUILDING CERTIFIED ON THE AIRSPACE FOR AREA 7; ATLANTA ARTCC. I WORKED 2 RADAR SCOPES; TOTAL OF 6 SECTORS; ALONE. THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE IN THE BUILDING CERTIFIED ON THAT AIRSPACE. THE SUPVR WHO HAD THE 'FRONT DESK' DID COME TO CHK ON ME A FEW TIMES; MOST LIKELY OUT OF GUILT; SINCE I'M SURE HE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON WAS UNSAFE. THE SITUATION I'VE JUST DESCRIBED IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. THE FAA SAID THAT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN; ESPECIALLY AFTER THE LEX CRASH. TO MY KNOWLEDGE; THIS IS THE 3RD SUCH OCCURRENCE AT ATLANTA ARTCC. I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHER TIMES THAT IT HAS HAPPENED; IT IS JUST THAT I HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF 3 INSTANCES. WE ARE BEING FORCED TO WORK UNSAFE SITS. WE ARE SHORT-HANDED IN TERMS OF STAFFING. THE FAA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FACT. ALSO; DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE FPL WHO WAS HELD OVER FOR A 12 HR SHIFT. THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE FAA WHEN SITS LIKE THIS OCCUR. THEY JUST SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG. IF HOWEVER; THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EMER OR CATASTROPHE; THEN IT WOULD BE LOOKED INTO THOROUGHLY.