The agency was recently offering $100k ($25k/yr for 4 years) for any current controller to transfer to NYC. Plus a paid move ($27k or more).

The biggest and most difficult to work ATC facilities are terribly staffed now. SoCal TRACON is in the same staffing situation as NYC.

1000 veteran controllers will probably retire this year. Hundreds will just QUIT (200 did last year). The morale is the lowest it's been since the 1981 strike. They've been operating without a contract since Labor Day 2006.

Currently, 11,000 controllers nationwide wide are fully certified (the lowest number in over a decade), with 3500 trainees plugging the holes in the schedule. Many of these will never check out (note: in the late 80's when I was hired, 50% washed out at the academy, and 40% of those who went to ZOA (Oakland Center) also washed out.)

It's a mess, and not likely to get any better soon, unless the political climate that orchastrated this is changed.