Narrative:

Safety is being compromised; because of reduced staffing on the late night shift. The following reasons are why it is unsafe to reduce the late night shift in ZME/east area to a 3-MAN late night instead of a 4-MAN late night. 1) the east area receives air carrier X inbounds from the east coast. They are responsible for spacing these inbounds to the area that ultimately feeds mem approach. 2) the east area is responsible for spacing sdf inbounds during the air carrier Y inbound push. 3) the east area is responsible for taking over bna approach airspace if they have a staffing shortage. It is my understanding that bna runs their late night shifts with just 2 controllers. The contingency plan is that if one of these controllers calls in or leaves on sick leave that bna will relinquish their airspace to the east area. 4) the east area receives northeast and east coast air carrier X departures; air carrier Y sdf departures and any other freight haulers. 5) if there is any WX impacting mem; sdf; dfw; or atl then this area remains busy into the early morning. 6) last week on the late night the arrs were shut off due to windshear. This backed holding up to the east area. It happened again last night although we do not know the reason for mem not taking arrs. These reasons along with the fact that at least for the past 15 yrs this area has operated with 4-MAN late night shifts during the week; traffic is constantly increasing not decreasing; should be enough justification that safety will be compromised if this is allowed to occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZME CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING SHIFT STAFFING STANDARDS.

Narrative: SAFETY IS BEING COMPROMISED; BECAUSE OF REDUCED STAFFING ON THE LATE NIGHT SHIFT. THE FOLLOWING REASONS ARE WHY IT IS UNSAFE TO REDUCE THE LATE NIGHT SHIFT IN ZME/E AREA TO A 3-MAN LATE NIGHT INSTEAD OF A 4-MAN LATE NIGHT. 1) THE E AREA RECEIVES ACR X INBOUNDS FROM THE EAST COAST. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SPACING THESE INBOUNDS TO THE AREA THAT ULTIMATELY FEEDS MEM APCH. 2) THE E AREA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SPACING SDF INBOUNDS DURING THE ACR Y INBOUND PUSH. 3) THE E AREA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING OVER BNA APCH AIRSPACE IF THEY HAVE A STAFFING SHORTAGE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BNA RUNS THEIR LATE NIGHT SHIFTS WITH JUST 2 CTLRS. THE CONTINGENCY PLAN IS THAT IF ONE OF THESE CTLRS CALLS IN OR LEAVES ON SICK LEAVE THAT BNA WILL RELINQUISH THEIR AIRSPACE TO THE E AREA. 4) THE E AREA RECEIVES NE AND EAST COAST ACR X DEPS; ACR Y SDF DEPS AND ANY OTHER FREIGHT HAULERS. 5) IF THERE IS ANY WX IMPACTING MEM; SDF; DFW; OR ATL THEN THIS AREA REMAINS BUSY INTO THE EARLY MORNING. 6) LAST WEEK ON THE LATE NIGHT THE ARRS WERE SHUT OFF DUE TO WINDSHEAR. THIS BACKED HOLDING UP TO THE E AREA. IT HAPPENED AGAIN LAST NIGHT ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT KNOW THE REASON FOR MEM NOT TAKING ARRS. THESE REASONS ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT AT LEAST FOR THE PAST 15 YRS THIS AREA HAS OPERATED WITH 4-MAN LATE NIGHT SHIFTS DURING THE WEEK; TFC IS CONSTANTLY INCREASING NOT DECREASING; SHOULD BE ENOUGH JUSTIFICATION THAT SAFETY WILL BE COMPROMISED IF THIS IS ALLOWED TO OCCUR.

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.