FLT CREW OF AN EMJ REFUSE TO ACCEDE TO INAPPROPRIATE GATE PERSONNEL PRESSURE TO CONTINUE FLYING AFTER 9 CONSECUTIVE HRS WITHOUT FOOD OR REST. FLT CREW TOOK THIRTY MINS FOR DINNER AND THEN COMPLETED THEIR FLT ASSIGNMENT.

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THE DAY STARTED AT XA:05 LCL IN ROC. MY CREW HAD A SANDWICH AT THE ARPT PRIOR TO REPORTING TO THE ACFT. THE SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY INCLUDED 5 LEGS WITH 32; 35; 48; AND 32 MIN TURNS. SUBSEQUENTLY; OUR ORD-DCA LEG WAS DELAYED DUE TO WX. THIS RESULTED IN MY CREW WORKING 9 STRAIGHT HOURS WITHOUT REST OR FOOD. I INFORMED MY DISPATCHER THAT UPON OUR ARR IN DCA AND BEFORE OUR DCA-BDL-DCA TURN; WE WERE TAKING A 30 MIN DINNER BREAK. HE AGREED AND INFORMED THE DCA STATION. UPON ARR AT DCA; WE WERE COERCED BY THE GATE PERSONNEL TO START BOARDING AND GET THE ACFT OFF OF THE GATE IN THE NEXT 30 MINS. HE ARGUED WITH ME AND I STOOD FIRM ON OUR NEED TO GET NOURISHMENT BEFORE FLYING PAX. HE CALLED OUR SCHEDULER COMPLAINING THAT WE CAUSED A PROB WITH HIS ON-TIME DEPARTURES AND WANTED THE CREW MEMBERS' NAMES. WE TOOK OUR DINNER BREAK AND DEPARTED TO BDL FEELING MUCH BETTER AND MORE ALERT. THE PROB RESULTING FROM UNREASONABLE SCHEDULING CONFLICTS WITH VERY TIGHT SCHEDULING OF ARRS AND DEPS AS WELL AS CREW MEMBER FATIGUE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT GATE AGENTS ARE PRESSURED INTO PRODUCING ON-TIME DEPS WITHOUT REGARD TO FARS; PARTICULARLY THOSE PERTAINING TO PLT INCAPACITATION. WHEN FLT CREW MEMBERS SAY THEY ARE TIRED; HUNGRY; OR NOT FEELING WELL; THEY MUST BE LISTENED TO AND NOT PRESSURED INTO FLYING AN AIRPLANE UNSAFELY. I MUST COMMEND THE SCHEDULER; DISPATCHER; AND COORDINATOR WHO SUPPORTED OUR PLAN AND URGED US TO EAT DINNER. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN DCA AT XJ:07; WE HAD BEEN IN THE ACFT FOR MORE THAN 9 HRS. I FELT WE NEEDED TO EAT BEFORE THE NEXT LEG IN ORDER TO FLY SAFELY. THE FAA DOES NOT QUESTION A CREWMEMBER WHEN HE/SHE SAYS THEY DON'T FEEL WELL. WHY ARE GATE PERSONNEL ALLOWED TO ARGUE WITH A FLT CREW WHEN THEY SAY THEY ARE HUNGRY AND NEED SOMETHING TO EAT?