Staff Not To Use The Word "Staffing"

An FAA manager in North Carolina sent an email to other supervisors instructing them to be careful in their use of an apparently offensive word.

In last week's email entitled "The use of the word STAFFING", Thomas Denny, a top manager of the FAA's operations in Charlotte wrote, "Be advised that anytime a facility uses the word STAFFING, you can rest assured it will be seen immediately in writing at the Headquarters level. If for any reason you use the STAFFING word, PLEASE advise me ASAP."

The FAA -- which has been fighting manpower battles for quite some time -- feels this is a controversial word, according to The Washington Post.

Denny also complained that when a control tower could not operate fully due to a sick employee recently, "It got reported up the line as a STAFFING issue, when it was a SICK LEAVE (or scheduling issue)," Denny wrote.

The FAA defended the email by saying it was merely an attempt to make sure memo writers are precise about how things are reported so the appropriate reaction can be applied. As FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said, through a spokeswoman, "Do we need more recruits or more flu shots?"

Pat Forrey, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association -- which regularly takes the FAA to task over staffing issues -- notes the irony in the FAA's memo.

"They mention staffing seven times -- in a memo that is about how staffing isn't a staffing issue," Forrey said. "It's comical."

FMI: www.faa.gov