Narrative:

We continually find ourselves understaffed. Desks continue to be split; trainers taken off training desks to cover sick calls/open desks without overtime list being run with people on the list wanting overtime. In effort to save money we are beating the dispatchers badly to fatigue. Anything deviating from a smooth day creates workload issues. Screen printer becomes a monster....some dispatchers don't even bring it up. Fellow dispatchers are unable or unwilling to help since they were pounded the day before and still exhausted. Podium usually unaware of workload; and often times not very helpful. A time or two after asking them a weather question floater was brought in although it was a little late...and weather was forecast the day before. Lots of fatigue building up with dispatchers. Calling fatigued not an option during a shift...just compounds the problem on the floor. New dispatchers continue to be put on the floor well before they are fully trained. Seems as if they are pushed through training to avoid paying for overtime/open shifts. It used to be okay to learn a lot on the floor after signed off...does not work well these days and hasn't for a while. Weak dispatchers are now training improper or incorrect techniques. Increases workload when take over for new dispatchers (with already a year's experience) who miss alternates; etc....needing extra help from fellow dispatchers who are already busy on the floor.... Latest new dispatcher got a diversion and didn't know what to do. Most new dispatchers do not know how and when to update; unaware of a lot of ATC procedures; reroutes; amending releases when taf changes; unaware of right/I right/F U/F entries on jr mask...how and when ATC strips sent to ATC; guess at alternate minimums.... Taught to work as fast as they can to avoid being pummeled not checking winds/altitude minimums/notams. F shift turnovers difficult when everyone else is up to their eyeballs in work. As if we need a dispatcher on call for each shift.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Dispatcher reported he is concerned about training; fatigue; and general work environment issues.

Narrative: We continually find ourselves understaffed. Desks continue to be split; trainers taken off training desks to cover sick calls/open desks without overtime list being run with people on the list wanting overtime. In effort to save money we are beating the dispatchers badly to fatigue. Anything deviating from a smooth day creates workload issues. Screen printer becomes a monster....some dispatchers don't even bring it up. Fellow dispatchers are unable or unwilling to help since they were pounded the day before and still exhausted. Podium usually unaware of workload; and often times not very helpful. A time or two AFTER ASKING them a weather question floater was brought in although it was a little late...and weather was forecast the day before. Lots of fatigue building up with dispatchers. Calling fatigued not an option during a shift...just compounds the problem on the floor. New dispatchers continue to be put on the floor well before they are fully trained. Seems as if they are pushed through training to avoid paying for overtime/open shifts. It used to be okay to learn a lot on the floor after signed off...does not work well these days and hasn't for a while. Weak dispatchers are now training improper or incorrect techniques. Increases workload when take over for new dispatchers (with already a year's experience) who miss alternates; etc....needing extra help from fellow dispatchers who are already busy on the floor.... Latest new dispatcher got a diversion and didn't know what to do. Most new dispatchers do not know how and when to update; unaware of a lot of ATC procedures; reroutes; amending releases when TAF changes; unaware of R/I R/F U/F entries on JR mask...how and when ATC strips sent to ATC; guess at alternate minimums.... taught to work as fast as they can to avoid being pummeled not checking winds/altitude minimums/NOTAMs. F shift turnovers difficult when everyone else is up to their eyeballs in work. As if we need a dispatcher on call for each shift.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.