Narrative:

I was working LC2. Rwy 26R is closed and I am shooting gaps on rwy 26L. Let me start by saying that I have worked at phl; cle and cvg where we landed and departed the same runway all day long. So with my 23 yrs of ATC experience I feel that I am qualified. Since 26R has been closed; the flm's like to stand right behind LC2 and offer 'suggestions' on how many departures to get out in each gap. The flm behind me was vibrating like a tuning fork because the TRACON was giving me 5 miles at 170...more than enough room to get out 1 maybe 2 departures. [Certain air carriers] typically take their time rolling; but you can usually get out 2 crjs if they are not the same RNAV. The supervisor ordered me to get two out in the next gap. Both departures were back to back westbound departures; and it's likely separation would not have existed; let alone the minimum spacing required by atlanta tracon on back to back departures. I was angry that the supervisor was setting me up to have an operational error (it's not the first time this supervisor has set me or other controllers up to have an error; and none of us appreciate that) and I let him know that; I refused to roll the second aircraft and asked him to step away from me. A newer controller would have taken the bait and had an error. And I watched this same supervisor sit behind 3 different LC2 controllers and tell them how many to get out in each gap. Talk about micro management. The flm's love to force the new people to roll fast and possibly have errors. It is not about safety; it is all about the departure rate....always. Management will of course deny this; but the controllers know it to be true.just now; I was working LC3 and the flm told me to roll 6 departures before I crossed any arrivals and stood right behind me breathing down my neck until I did what he told me to do. This has to stop immediately. It is creating an unsafe working condition in the tower. Tell the flm' s to back up and let the controllers work and not try to talk them into rolling too fast and possibly having an error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Local Controller voiced concern regarding supervisory oversight and separation judgments.

Narrative: I was working LC2. Rwy 26R is closed and I am shooting gaps on Rwy 26L. Let me start by saying that I have worked at PHL; CLE and CVG where we landed and departed the same runway all day long. So with my 23 yrs of ATC experience I feel that I am qualified. Since 26R has been closed; the FLM's like to stand right behind LC2 and offer 'suggestions' on how many departures to get out in each gap. The FLM behind me was vibrating like a tuning fork because the TRACON was giving me 5 miles at 170...more than enough room to get out 1 maybe 2 departures. [Certain air carriers] typically take their time rolling; but you can usually get out 2 crjs if they are not the same RNAV. The supervisor ordered me to get two out in the next gap. Both departures were back to back westbound departures; and it's likely separation would not have existed; let alone the minimum spacing required by Atlanta Tracon on back to back departures. I was angry that the supervisor was setting me up to have an operational error (it's not the first time this supervisor has set me or other controllers up to have an error; and NONE of us appreciate that) and I let him know that; I refused to roll the second aircraft and asked him to step away from me. A newer controller would have taken the bait and had an error. And I watched this same supervisor sit behind 3 different LC2 controllers and tell them how many to get out in each gap. Talk about micro management. The FLM's love to force the new people to roll fast and possibly have errors. It is NOT about SAFETY; it is all about the departure rate....always. Management will of course deny this; but the controllers know it to be true.Just now; I was working LC3 and the FLM told me to roll 6 departures before I crossed any arrivals and STOOD right behind me breathing down my neck until I did what he told me to do. This has to stop immediately. It is creating an UNSAFE working condition in the tower. Tell the FLM' s to back up and let the controllers work and not try to talk them into rolling too fast and possibly having an error.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.