A320 FO RPTS HIS COMPANY PENALIZES PLTS FINANCIALLY WHEN THEY OBSERVE; AND ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FAR 61 PT 53.

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DURING BANKRUPTCY NEGOTIATIONS WITH PLT UNION; RECENTLY AND UNILATERALLY IMPOSED A SICK POLICY (WITHOUT THE CONCURRENCE OF UNION SAFETY) WHICH IS A GREAT STEP BACKWARDS IN THE PROMOTION OF 'SAFETY-FIRST' IN ACR OP. IF A PLT CALLS IN SICK FOR ANY TRIP; THE COMPANY PAYS THEM A MAX OF HIS LINE VALUE; -5 HRS. IN OTHER WORDS; THE PLT IS PENALIZED FOR BEING SICK! IN LIGHT OF THE HUGE PAY AND BENEFITS CUTS ACR PLTS HAVE ENDURED UNDER THREATENED LIQUIDATION (67% IN MY CASE); NO PLT CAN AFFORD THIS PENALTY. THE RESULT IS OBVIOUS. PLTS ARE FLYING WHILE ILL! I HAVE PERSONALLY FLOWN WITH 4 CAPTS WITH SEVERE COLDS WHICH NOT ONLY SUBJECTED ME TO ILLNESS; BUT RADICALLY DEGRADED THEIR PLTING SKILLS. IN-AS-MUCH AS MOST OF OUR PLTS ARE AGE 50+ YRS; FLT AND DUTY TIMES ARE MUCH INCREASED; ELIMINATION OF DUTY REGS HAS INCREASED MONTHLY FLYING TO 16-18 DAYS AND DUTY REST PERIODS HAVE BEEN GREATLY REDUCED; NOT TO MENTION THE STRESS OF BANKRUPTCY; DISTRESSED TERMINATION OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND ADVERSARIAL EMPLOYEE/MGMNT RELATIONS; YOU HAVE A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. THIS SICK LEAVE POLICY IS NOT A CONTRACTUAL ISSUE; BUT AN ISSUE OF INDUSTRY SAFETY! CREW FATIGUE IS A WELL-DOCUMENTED DETRIMENT TO SAFE OP AND NOW WE HAVE FLT DECK CREW BEING ESSENTIALLY 'BLACK MAILED' INTO FLYING WHILE PHYSIOLOGICALLY DEGRADED!