Narrative:

I reported for the shift at XA00Z. ZTL was transitioning to uret. While area combined on 2 scopes; the 2 other controllers on the shift were already plugged in. Neither had a single strip marked; and neither is uret qualified. I started 'cleaning up' the d-side on the low altitude sectors. The r-side advised the sector had been on uret and many strips were missing. Some strips were printing on closed sectors. I was at the d-side and the d-side crd was not functioning. It was still set up for uret. I did not know how to switch it from uret to its normal function. I haven't been to uret training. No update messages were being generated (departure message; altitude updates; etc). I informed the supervisor and he reconfigured the sector properly. As time went on; it became apparent that all the proposed strips had been thrown away. We had no idea how many airplanes were schedules to depart. This is the third time this has happened. Controllers are throwing away strips routinely. I have 'made an issue' of this several times by refusing to relieve controllers that don't have their strips posted and marked. There is simply no excuse for this behavior. The supervisors say they won't let it happen again but each day there are controllers working a dozen airplanes with zero strips in the bay or controllers that are not uret certified. It is blatantly obvious; yet the supervisors refuse to act.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING A NEW 'USER REQUEST EVALUATION TOOL' (URET) AND THE FACILITY'S USE AND TRAINING PROGRAM.

Narrative: I RPTED FOR THE SHIFT AT XA00Z. ZTL WAS TRANSITIONING TO URET. WHILE AREA COMBINED ON 2 SCOPES; THE 2 OTHER CTLRS ON THE SHIFT WERE ALREADY PLUGGED IN. NEITHER HAD A SINGLE STRIP MARKED; AND NEITHER IS URET QUALIFIED. I STARTED 'CLEANING UP' THE D-SIDE ON THE LOW ALT SECTORS. THE R-SIDE ADVISED THE SECTOR HAD BEEN ON URET AND MANY STRIPS WERE MISSING. SOME STRIPS WERE PRINTING ON CLOSED SECTORS. I WAS AT THE D-SIDE AND THE D-SIDE CRD WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. IT WAS STILL SET UP FOR URET. I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO SWITCH IT FROM URET TO ITS NORMAL FUNCTION. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO URET TRAINING. NO UPDATE MESSAGES WERE BEING GENERATED (DEP MESSAGE; ALT UPDATES; ETC). I INFORMED THE SUPVR AND HE RECONFIGURED THE SECTOR PROPERLY. AS TIME WENT ON; IT BECAME APPARENT THAT ALL THE PROPOSED STRIPS HAD BEEN THROWN AWAY. WE HAD NO IDEA HOW MANY AIRPLANES WERE SCHEDULES TO DEPART. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. CTLRS ARE THROWING AWAY STRIPS ROUTINELY. I HAVE 'MADE AN ISSUE' OF THIS SEVERAL TIMES BY REFUSING TO RELIEVE CTLRS THAT DON'T HAVE THEIR STRIPS POSTED AND MARKED. THERE IS SIMPLY NO EXCUSE FOR THIS BEHAVIOR. THE SUPVRS SAY THEY WON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN BUT EACH DAY THERE ARE CTLRS WORKING A DOZEN AIRPLANES WITH ZERO STRIPS IN THE BAY OR CTLRS THAT ARE NOT URET CERTIFIED. IT IS BLATANTLY OBVIOUS; YET THE SUPVRS REFUSE TO ACT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.