ACR MLG OFF CRW CLBING TO 4000 FT. FO; PNF; REFUSED TO USE COMPANY ESTABLISHED PROC TO ANNOUNCE ALT. CAPT ATTEMPTED TO HANDLE THE INSUBORDINATION BUT THE FO REFUSED TO COOPERATE. COM WAS LOST WITH DEP CTLR FOR A SHORT PERIOD.

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THE 'ALT AWARENESS' POLICY AT OUR AIRLINE IS FOR THE FO TO SET THE NEW ALT ASSIGNMENT IN THE ALT ALERTER; POINT TO IT; AND SAY THE ALT; AND UPON HEARING THAT; THE CAPT ALSO POINTS AND REPEATS THE NEW ALT. ALTHOUGH BRIEFED PRIOR TO BEGINNING THIS TRIP THAT STANDARD COMPANY PROCS WOULD BE FOLLOWED; THIS FO WAS CONTINUOUSLY LAX IN PERFORMING THEM. HE WAS OBSERVED AND CORRECTED FOR READING THE CHKLIST FROM MEMORY; AND VERY RARELY VERBALLY ANNOUNCED NEW ALT ASSIGNMENTS. CORRECTING FELLOW CREW MEMBERS IS DIFFICULT; BECAUSE IT OFTEN RESULTS IN SUCH HOSTILITY THAT CRM BREAKS DOWN; AND SAFETY IS AFFECTED. SUCH WAS THE CASE ON THE SECOND DAY OF THIS TRIP. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF; WE WERE ASSIGNED A HIGHER ALT BY DEP CTL AND THE FO SET THE NEW ALT AND SAID NOTHING. I WAS REPEATING TO ATC THE ASSIGNMENT; AND WHEN I FINISHED I WAITED FOR THE FO TO SAY SOMETHING. HE SAID NOTHING; SO I POINTED AND STATED THE ALT. HE THEN SAID 'THANK YOU.' MY REPLY WAS THAT OUR ALT AWARENESS WAS TO STATE THE ALT; NOT SAY 'THANK YOU.' HIS RESPONSE WAS AN EXPLOSION OF EXCUSES AND ANGER. A TIRADE OF EMOTION THAT COMPLETELY BLOCKED OUR RECEIVING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM ATC. ATC REPEATED THEIR INSTRUCTIONS WHILE THIS FO CONTINUED TO LOUDLY STATE THAT HE DID NOTHING WRONG; AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT. ATC GAVE UP CALLING US; AND WE CONTINUED ON A COURSE OF FLT THAT COULD HAVE AFFECTED THE SAFETY OF OUR FLT. I TOOK THE ACFT AWAY FROM HIM UNTIL HE CALMED DOWN; THEN OFFERED IT BACK TO HIM; BUT HE DID NOT WANT TO FLY ANYMORE. I FINALLY REALIZED THAT ATC WAS NOT TALKING TO US AND RE-ESTABLISHED CONTACT MYSELF WHILE FLYING THE ACFT. AS PART OF A SCHEDULED CREW CHANGE THE FO WAS RELIEVED AT THE NEXT STOP.