PLT FATIGUE. FLY OR LOSE THE JOB.

Narrative

THIS RPT IS BEING WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO A SIT WHERE I WAS FORCED TO ACCEPT A TRIP BY OUR DIRECTOR OF OPS EVEN THOUGH I ADVISED HIM THAT I WAS FATIGUED AND DID NOT FEEL I COULD SAFELY OPERATE THE FLT DUE TO BEING FATIGUED. WHEN QUERIED BY HIM IN REGARD TO MY PREVIOUS FLYING AND SUBSEQUENT REST; HE CLAIMED THAT I WAS ADEQUATELY RESTED AND HE WOULD NOT ACCEPT MY REFUSAL TO FLY. MY DUTY DAY WAS DONE AND THIS FLT WOULD ADD OVER 4 MORE HRS TO MY DUTY DAY. WHILE MY TOTAL DUTY TIME OVER THE PAST 2 DAYS WAS NOT UNDULY LONG (APPROX 15 HRS); EACH DAY REQUIRED ME TO WAKE UP AT XA00 AM. THESE EARLY RPTS; COUPLED WITH AN INTERRUPTED SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE WERE THE CAUSE OF MY FEELING TIRED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. WHEN THE DIRECTOR OF OP WOULD NOT LET MET LEAVE; I TRIED OTHER METHODS TO GET OUT OF THE TRIP INCLUDING INVOKING CERTAIN CONTRACT SECTIONS AND DEMANDING 'DRAFT PAY' TO SWAY THEM AGAINST ME. AT THIS POINT; THE DIRECTOR OF OPS TOLD ME; 'DO THE TRIP OR GIVE ME YOUR IDENT.' THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF DEMANDING YOUR RESIGNATION. AT THIS POINT; I WAS SO STRESSED; AND FEARFUL OF LOSING MY JOB THAT I CAPITULATED AND FLEW THE TRIP. I FEEL PAX SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED AND THE HEAVY-HANDED TACTICS OF THE DIRECTOR OF OPS WERE REPREHENSIBLE. I STILL AM ANGRY AT MYSELF FOR GIVING IN TO HIM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: BECAUSE THE RPTR WAS SO UPSET AT HAVING HIS JOB PUT ON THE LINE AND FORCED TO FLY WHEN EXHAUSTED; HE SAID SOME THINGS TO THE OPS DIRECTOR THAT GOT HIM 2 DAYS OFF WITHOUT PAY. THE CHARGE WAS CREW SCHEDULER ABUSE AND A COMPANY HEARING IS IMMINENT. RPTR SENT A COPY OF THE ASRS RPT TO THIS COMPANY AND THE LCL FAA INSPECTOR WHO SAID; 'WE ARE LOOKING INTO IT.' RPTR RELATED ANOTHER COMPANY INCIDENT IN WHICH A PLT WAS REASSIGNED AFTER A LONG AND TIRING TRIP. HE GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT OVER THE TELEPHONE IN A PUBLIC PLACE AND WAS OVERHEARD BY ONE OF THE PAX SCHEDULED FOR THE FLT. THE PAX CANCELED HIS FLT AND WROTE A LETTER TO THE COMPANY. THE PLT WAS FIRED. RPTR SAYS THAT THERE ARE MANY FACTORS THAT CAN AFFECT A PLT'S ALERTNESS AND FLT CAPABILITIES. FOR EXAMPLE; A SICK CHILD KEPT THE PLT AWAKE ALL NIGHT AND THE TRIP THE NEXT DAY IS 5 LEGS; POOR WX AND IN A BUSY AIR TFC CORRIDOR -- NOT THE BEST FOR SAFE OPS. OF COURSE BLANKET APPROVAL OF CLAIMING FATIGUE WOULD BRING WITH IT ABUSE. HOWEVER; IT WOULDN'T TAKE LONG TO NOTE WHO WAS AND WASN'T ABUSING A MORE REALISTIC APCH TO FATIGUE.