Narrative:

I am a flight engineer for a major us air carrier based in miami. I was recently 'downgraded' from first officer with a subsequent loss of income of approximately $5000/yr. I have received 4 furlough notices in the past 3 months, the last 3 extending the date by a few weeks. The company now wants to cancel our meager furlough severance pay of $1800 and not have to pay us vacation pay, which they owe me 4 weeks. We are already 1 of the lowest paid flight crews in the industry. Why am I writing this to ASRS? Because if is affecting my ability to function effectively and safely in the cockpit. I have noticed a sublime deterioration in my general health over the past few months. My mental state is very stressful and I believe it is causing a degradation in performance of my duties. There have been no specific instances that would warrant an ASRS report and I certainly hope that it doesn't. Why don't I ground myself? First, cumulative stress is hard to measure. The company is not going to accept such a general statement. Second, we (the flight crew members) have given so much the past few yrs to keep this promise going under the pretense that 'give just a little more and we can make it.' third, it is hard enough to rake up lunch money for the kids, much less make the house payments. What can ASRS do? Not much, but be aware of the problem and make sure that the information is used in a constructive manner. Many lives could depend on it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR INDICATES STRESS OF INSECURITY ON HIS AIRLINE CAUSING DEGRADATION OF HIS PERFORMANCE AS A FLT ENGINEER.

Narrative: I AM A FLT ENGINEER FOR A MAJOR U.S. AIR CARRIER BASED IN MIAMI. I WAS RECENTLY 'DOWNGRADED' FROM FO WITH A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF INCOME OF APPROX $5000/YR. I HAVE RECEIVED 4 FURLOUGH NOTICES IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS, THE LAST 3 EXTENDING THE DATE BY A FEW WKS. THE COMPANY NOW WANTS TO CANCEL OUR MEAGER FURLOUGH SEVERANCE PAY OF $1800 AND NOT HAVE TO PAY US VACATION PAY, WHICH THEY OWE ME 4 WKS. WE ARE ALREADY 1 OF THE LOWEST PAID FLT CREWS IN THE INDUSTRY. WHY AM I WRITING THIS TO ASRS? BECAUSE IF IS AFFECTING MY ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY IN THE COCKPIT. I HAVE NOTICED A SUBLIME DETERIORATION IN MY GENERAL HEALTH OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. MY MENTAL STATE IS VERY STRESSFUL AND I BELIEVE IT IS CAUSING A DEGRADATION IN PERFORMANCE OF MY DUTIES. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SPECIFIC INSTANCES THAT WOULD WARRANT AN ASRS RPT AND I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT IT DOESN'T. WHY DON'T I GND MYSELF? FIRST, CUMULATIVE STRESS IS HARD TO MEASURE. THE COMPANY IS NOT GOING TO ACCEPT SUCH A GENERAL STATEMENT. SECOND, WE (THE FLC MEMBERS) HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH THE PAST FEW YRS TO KEEP THIS PROMISE GOING UNDER THE PRETENSE THAT 'GIVE JUST A LITTLE MORE AND WE CAN MAKE IT.' THIRD, IT IS HARD ENOUGH TO RAKE UP LUNCH MONEY FOR THE KIDS, MUCH LESS MAKE THE HOUSE PAYMENTS. WHAT CAN ASRS DO? NOT MUCH, BUT BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THE INFO IS USED IN A CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER. MANY LIVES COULD DEPEND ON IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.