A COCKPIT DISCUSSION RELATED TO CHKLIST USE IS INSTIGATED BY THE PIC OF A DEP A319 CLBING TO 4000 FT ON THE SJC SID WHEN THE FO WAS LOOKING FOR TFC INSTEAD OF READING THE CHKLIST AFTER TKOF FROM SJC; CA.

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ON DEP OUT OF SJC; WE WERE GIVEN AN EARLY TURN TO HDG 120 DEGS ON THE SID. THE CAPT CALLED FOR FLAPS UP; AFTER TKOF CHKLIST. AS HE CALLED THIS; I NOTICED TFC INSIDE OF 5 NM LESS THAN 1400 FT SEPARATION AND CLBING. I SAW THE TFC ON TCASII; NOT VISUALLY. I THOUGHT OF THIS AS A POTENTIAL THREAT AND; AS A FIRST FOR ME; VERBALLY STATED THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST INSTEAD OF READING IT. AS THIS WAS GOING ON; ATC CALLED OUT THE POS OF THE TFC AND TOLD US TO CLB WITHOUT DELAY THROUGH 4000 FT. THE CHKLIST WAS CALLED FOR AT 2300 FT. THE CAPT DEMANDED I RE-ACCOMPLISH THE CHKLIST BY READING IT. I DEEMED IT UNSAFE TO DO SO AS I HAD NOT SEEN THE TFC AND THIS HAD ALREADY CAUSED US TO MISS THE ORIGINAL TFC CALL BY ATC. WE NEVER SAW THE TFC; BUT DID EXPEDITE OUR CLB AND THE TFC BECAME NO FACTOR. THERE WAS NOT A NEAR MISS. THE CAPT EXPLAINED TO ME (AT CRUISE) THAT I COULD NOT USE JUDGEMENT ON ANY SOP; AND I COULD HAVE SIMPLY DELAYED READING THE CHKLIST. I VIEWED THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT AS TIME CRITICAL AND SAFETY RELATED AND THAT IS WHY I DID NOT READ THE 3 ITEM CHKLIST AND IS ALSO WHY; AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT; I TOLD THE CAPT I COULD NOT PULL OUT THE CHKLIST AND READ IT. THIS WAS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE TO THE CAPT. HE VIEWED MY TELLING HIM I COULD NOT READ THE CHKLIST AS A CHALLENGE TO HIS AUTH. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH AND I ONLY VIEWED THE IMMEDIATE THREAT OF AN UNSEEN VFR ACFT IN MAKING MY IMMEDIATE DECISION. I MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO FOLLOW ALL SOP'S AND I DON'T RECALL EVER VERBALIZING ANY CHKLIST DURING MY TIME AT THIS AIRLINE. I RECOGNIZE THE ULTIMATE AUTH OF THE CAPT AND RECOGNIZE HE IS IN CHARGE OF THE FLT AND SAFETY. THE FINAL WORD IS THE CAPT'S. BUT; HAVING SAID ALL THAT; GIVEN THE SAME SIT; I WOULD DELAY READING THE CHKLIST UNTIL CLR OF THE TFC AND HOPE THIS WOULD SATISFY ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.