Narrative:

While working local and ground combined and 1 other controller in the tower working clearance delivery and controller in charge; I began to get busy at the local control position; working departures. When an air carrier aircraft called to push back onto the taxiway and another aircraft was calling to repos via a taxiway; I told them both that due to staffing I did not have a ground control position open; and for them to call back in 5 mins. I was extremely busy with departures; especially 1 maule that had departed but his transponder wasn't working. I prioritized my responsibilities the safest way I could think of -- that was to have the ground traffic wait until I wasn't as busy; or when a relieving controller arrived to open ground control. After about a 5 min wait; and a new position was opened; the air carrier pushed back and departed. After he departed; he called his company to complain that he had been delayed due to staffing. Apparently; his company called the FAA command center to complain and the supervisor came to find me on my break and in an accusatory way said that we would have to talk about this. The talk took the form of a meeting in the manager's office; the manager and supervisor on one side and me and my union representative on the other. The manager started by asking me what I had to say. I said that I didn't have anything to say until I heard what he was accusing me or. You have to understand; despite yrs of loyal service to the FAA; numerous flight assists; numerous trainees that I trained and had certified in short time; and 25 yrs of government service; the only times I was ever called to the manager's office was for negative issues. So I think I must be in trouble for something; even though I did nothing wrong. I feel this was just a strong-arm technique to ensure I never said the word 'staffing' again -- even though that is precisely the reason. I have personally told the manager and other supervisors that there should be a supervisor in the building earlier; but they continually schedule only controllers. There have been other controllers that have told management that the traffic volume at that time of the morning warrants at least 3 position to be open. Management requires 4 control position open at XC00; when on this date we had 6 proposals; but at XB00 I had 20-25 proposals. Management wanted to blame me for not advising the supervisor downstairs; who had just arrived; but I was too busy by then. If we all know we need help from XA45-XB30; who should be responsible to staff that -- me of a manager who has been warned? I am proud of the job that I did. I feel like if I had been distraction by the ground traffic and subsequently had some kind of separation error; that the FAA would have completely blamed me for not prioritizing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT CTLR ISSUED DELAYED PUSHBACK CLRNC TO ACR DEP; CITING STAFFING AS CAUSAL FACTOR.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING LCL AND GND COMBINED AND 1 OTHER CTLR IN THE TWR WORKING CLRNC DELIVERY AND CIC; I BEGAN TO GET BUSY AT THE LCL CTL POS; WORKING DEPS. WHEN AN ACR ACFT CALLED TO PUSH BACK ONTO THE TXWY AND ANOTHER ACFT WAS CALLING TO REPOS VIA A TXWY; I TOLD THEM BOTH THAT DUE TO STAFFING I DID NOT HAVE A GND CTL POS OPEN; AND FOR THEM TO CALL BACK IN 5 MINS. I WAS EXTREMELY BUSY WITH DEPS; ESPECIALLY 1 MAULE THAT HAD DEPARTED BUT HIS XPONDER WASN'T WORKING. I PRIORITIZED MY RESPONSIBILITIES THE SAFEST WAY I COULD THINK OF -- THAT WAS TO HAVE THE GND TFC WAIT UNTIL I WASN'T AS BUSY; OR WHEN A RELIEVING CTLR ARRIVED TO OPEN GND CTL. AFTER ABOUT A 5 MIN WAIT; AND A NEW POS WAS OPENED; THE ACR PUSHED BACK AND DEPARTED. AFTER HE DEPARTED; HE CALLED HIS COMPANY TO COMPLAIN THAT HE HAD BEEN DELAYED DUE TO STAFFING. APPARENTLY; HIS COMPANY CALLED THE FAA COMMAND CTR TO COMPLAIN AND THE SUPVR CAME TO FIND ME ON MY BREAK AND IN AN ACCUSATORY WAY SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS. THE TALK TOOK THE FORM OF A MEETING IN THE MGR'S OFFICE; THE MGR AND SUPVR ON ONE SIDE AND ME AND MY UNION REPRESENTATIVE ON THE OTHER. THE MGR STARTED BY ASKING ME WHAT I HAD TO SAY. I SAID THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY UNTIL I HEARD WHAT HE WAS ACCUSING ME OR. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND; DESPITE YRS OF LOYAL SVC TO THE FAA; NUMEROUS FLT ASSISTS; NUMEROUS TRAINEES THAT I TRAINED AND HAD CERTIFIED IN SHORT TIME; AND 25 YRS OF GOV SVC; THE ONLY TIMES I WAS EVER CALLED TO THE MGR'S OFFICE WAS FOR NEGATIVE ISSUES. SO I THINK I MUST BE IN TROUBLE FOR SOMETHING; EVEN THOUGH I DID NOTHING WRONG. I FEEL THIS WAS JUST A STRONG-ARM TECHNIQUE TO ENSURE I NEVER SAID THE WORD 'STAFFING' AGAIN -- EVEN THOUGH THAT IS PRECISELY THE REASON. I HAVE PERSONALLY TOLD THE MGR AND OTHER SUPVRS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A SUPVR IN THE BUILDING EARLIER; BUT THEY CONTINUALLY SCHEDULE ONLY CTLRS. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER CTLRS THAT HAVE TOLD MGMNT THAT THE TFC VOLUME AT THAT TIME OF THE MORNING WARRANTS AT LEAST 3 POS TO BE OPEN. MGMNT REQUIRES 4 CTL POS OPEN AT XC00; WHEN ON THIS DATE WE HAD 6 PROPOSALS; BUT AT XB00 I HAD 20-25 PROPOSALS. MGMNT WANTED TO BLAME ME FOR NOT ADVISING THE SUPVR DOWNSTAIRS; WHO HAD JUST ARRIVED; BUT I WAS TOO BUSY BY THEN. IF WE ALL KNOW WE NEED HELP FROM XA45-XB30; WHO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO STAFF THAT -- ME OF A MGR WHO HAS BEEN WARNED? I AM PROUD OF THE JOB THAT I DID. I FEEL LIKE IF I HAD BEEN DISTR BY THE GND TFC AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAD SOME KIND OF SEPARATION ERROR; THAT THE FAA WOULD HAVE COMPLETELY BLAMED ME FOR NOT PRIORITIZING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.