Narrative:

The aircraft we were to take outbound arrived at the gate approximately 45 mins past our scheduled departure time. During the preflight walkaround; I found a defect and reported it to maintenance. Maintenance response was to question me as to why I would report a defect after departure time. They said they don't like to get these write-ups late. I tried to explain that the aircraft came in late and I cannot preflight an airplane that is not there -- even though one would think that is obvious. However; their concern was to turn the airplane quickly not to assure it was mechanically sound to fly. I guess I have to ask then; 'if it is not maintenance's job to concern themselves with the mechanical condition of the airplane; the whose job is it?' if the defect is minor; can't maintenance defer the item to avoid a long delay? Isn't that part of the reason for an MEL? I am not aware of any policy that we don't report maintenance defects just because an aircraft arrives late. I am writing this report as a canary in the coal mine. This incident is just another example of the toxic and dangerous culture of intimidation and pilot pushing that is going on unchked at airline. The abusive scheduling and combative work environment that is being fostered is making it more than just an unpleasant place to work; it is making it downright dangerous. I am aware that our ceo has told employees to their face that 'if you don't like it -- quit;' but what happens once everyone with the courage to speak up for safety has been run off? Who is left? This culture of intimidation is the first link in an error chain to a major accident. Now the question is; will anyone do anything about it?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FO MAINTAINS MAINT OBJECTION TO HIS ATTEMPTS TO REPORT AN ACFT DISCREPANCY ON AN ALREADY DELAYED DEPARTURE ACFT IS SYMPTOMATIC OF A MANAGEMENT DIRECTED EFFORT TO CUT CORNERS TO MINIMIZE OPERATIONAL COSTS. FEELS OPERATIONAL SAFETY IS COMPROMISED ON A RECURRING BASIS.

Narrative: THE ACFT WE WERE TO TAKE OUTBOUND ARRIVED AT THE GATE APPROX 45 MINS PAST OUR SCHEDULED DEP TIME. DURING THE PREFLT WALKAROUND; I FOUND A DEFECT AND RPTED IT TO MAINT. MAINT RESPONSE WAS TO QUESTION ME AS TO WHY I WOULD RPT A DEFECT AFTER DEP TIME. THEY SAID THEY DON'T LIKE TO GET THESE WRITE-UPS LATE. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT THE ACFT CAME IN LATE AND I CANNOT PREFLT AN AIRPLANE THAT IS NOT THERE -- EVEN THOUGH ONE WOULD THINK THAT IS OBVIOUS. HOWEVER; THEIR CONCERN WAS TO TURN THE AIRPLANE QUICKLY NOT TO ASSURE IT WAS MECHANICALLY SOUND TO FLY. I GUESS I HAVE TO ASK THEN; 'IF IT IS NOT MAINT'S JOB TO CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH THE MECHANICAL CONDITION OF THE AIRPLANE; THE WHOSE JOB IS IT?' IF THE DEFECT IS MINOR; CAN'T MAINT DEFER THE ITEM TO AVOID A LONG DELAY? ISN'T THAT PART OF THE REASON FOR AN MEL? I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY POLICY THAT WE DON'T RPT MAINT DEFECTS JUST BECAUSE AN ACFT ARRIVES LATE. I AM WRITING THIS RPT AS A CANARY IN THE COAL MINE. THIS INCIDENT IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE TOXIC AND DANGEROUS CULTURE OF INTIMIDATION AND PLT PUSHING THAT IS GOING ON UNCHKED AT AIRLINE. THE ABUSIVE SCHEDULING AND COMBATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT IS BEING FOSTERED IS MAKING IT MORE THAN JUST AN UNPLEASANT PLACE TO WORK; IT IS MAKING IT DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. I AM AWARE THAT OUR CEO HAS TOLD EMPLOYEES TO THEIR FACE THAT 'IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT -- QUIT;' BUT WHAT HAPPENS ONCE EVERYONE WITH THE COURAGE TO SPEAK UP FOR SAFETY HAS BEEN RUN OFF? WHO IS LEFT? THIS CULTURE OF INTIMIDATION IS THE FIRST LINK IN AN ERROR CHAIN TO A MAJOR ACCIDENT. NOW THE QUESTION IS; WILL ANYONE DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.