Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (mon) 11
Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Staffing; Company Policy
FLM was working combined positions and was absolutely inundated with VFRs and IFR aircraft.  FLM is a good Controller; but no one could have reasonably been expected to deal with that number of aircraft safely. Numerous safety events happened during this session.  The one I noticed in particular even though I had my own traffic.  Aircraft X was told to follow freeway north which the pilot did.  He just kept on going and probably went 10 miles north before anyone talked to him.  He was out of our airspace in within TRACON airspace.  He was also routed through numerous aircraft holding around ZZZ a satellite airport.  The OM then seemed to blame the pilot for not calling.  No way for the pilot to call if he can't get a word in edge wise.1.  No OT used and we are operating with 3 CPCs and an FLM when normal numbers are 8 and an FLM due to quarantine from a COVID positive.  We also had the OM that can't plug in and help if he needs to.  2.  The ATM WILL NOT USE TMI for staffing because of political pressure not because it isn't needed. TMI for staffing have been definitely needed especially this week with 15 ish controllers out of 25 on quarantine.  3.  The OM knew this was an issue because he called the flight schools the day before to tell them not to fly during certain times the day before and failed to tell them the same thing for this day.  The OM failed in very dramatic fashion and threw his own supervisor to the proverbial wolves.
Tower Controller reported the Front Line Manager was inundated with VFR and IFR traffic while working a combined position.