ALTDEV.

Narrative

I INADVERTENTLY LEVELED OUT AT 14000 FT (15000 FT ASSIGNED); AND WAS LEVEL FOR 10-12 MINS WHEN I REALIZED MY ERROR; AND CLBED TO 15000 FT IMMEDIATELY. ATC NEVER COMMENTED OR INQUIRED ABOUT THE PREMATURE LEVEL OFF; AND NO TFC CONFLICT EXISTED. WHEN I DISCOVERED MY MISTAKE; I WONDERED WHY MY FO HADN'T SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE ERROR; I DISCOVERED THAT HE WAS READING A NEWSPAPER! I'D HAD 2 OR 3 DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM IN THE PREVIOUS WEEK ABOUT READING INFLT-PARTICULARLY IN STERILE COCKPIT ENVIRONMENT; ALSO; I'D TALKED WITH HIM ABOUT HELPING OUT AS A TEAM EFFORT TO GIVE OUR AIRLINE STANDARD CALLOUTS; PARTICULARLY WHILE CLBING/DSNDING AND WHILE ON APCH. I WAS BUSY IN CLB AND CRUISE; HOLDING ALT WITH TURB CONDITIONS; THINKING ABOUT POTENTIAL HOLDING AT SFO (OUR DEST) AND WHETHER WE'D MAKE IT INTO MOD THAT EVENING (DUE TO VALLEY FOG): AS OUR JETSTREAM DOES NOT HAVE AUTOPLT; I WAS PRE-OCCUPIED WITH MY FLYING AND HADN'T NOTICED THAT MY FO WAS READING. I'VE HAD A LONG HEART-TO-HEART; MAN- TO-MAN DISCUSSION WITH MY FO SINCE THEN; AND APPEALED TO HIM TO MAKE A DEDICATED EFFORT 'TO JOIN THE TEAM.' BUT I BELIEVE THAT; WITH 5+ YRS AS A FO AFTER BEING A CAPT FOR A SHORT TIME; HE IS BURNED OUT ON FLYING AND DOESN'T CARE TO PUT FORTH A PROFESSIONAL EFFORT-PARTICULARLY IN THAT OUR COMPANY HAS ENTERED INTO AN ANTI-LABOR MODE (IT'S CONTRACT RENEWAL TIME; AND WITH TALK OF CONSIDERABLE LAYOFFS; CUT-BACKS; BASE CLOSURES AND PLT FURLOUGHS; EVERYONE IS DISTRACTED BY THEIR CONCERNS). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WE BOTH WERE DOGGED TIRED; 4 TO 5 12-HR DAYS OF BAD (VIOLENT) WX FOR THE PAST 5 WEEKS-ESPECIALLY WITH NO AUTOPLT. IT WAS GETTING LATE IN OUR WORK DAY. THIS WAS OUR 7TH LEG; WITH HOLDING AND DEP DELAYS; NEITHER OF US HAD HAD A MEAL BREAK. BOTH OF US WERE NOT ONLY TIRED; BUT BADLY FATIGUED DUE TO HUNGER AND DE-HYDRATION.