No Aircraft
Communication Breakdown; Fatigue; Time Pressure
Other Fatigue
General Work Refused
Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Continuously; we fly all nighters back from West to East. We land at either 0500 or 0700. We are expected to be phone available even in 'crew rest.' It is impossible to sleep in the morning while being expected to keep the telephone on. We are continuously interrupted by outside contacts but are not allowed to turn off our phone. Almost every time on reserve; the pilots are assigned a 0200 or 0300 short call assignment for that same night. It is physically impossible to be interrupted from phone availability requirements; get more than 4 hours of sleep that same night; and be fit to fly when called at 0200. We are fatigued every time in these circumstances. We have been advised to 'accept the assignment' but if we are called and unfit; then to say we are 'fatigued.' In these circumstances; we are questioned by the Flight Office when this is a complete and egregious safety issue we are continuously expected to comply with 'as per the contract.' I was so fatigued upon a 0300 call from the crew desk after flying an all-nighter; I did not hear my phone until 4:27 and four calls later. Now I am punished with 5 hours of pay docked and a missed flight for what is an unsafe practice for back to back and multiple swing shifts in just a 72 hour period.
A reserve First Officer reported that after landing at either 0500 or 0700; reserve pilots are expected to be phone ready for next day assignments during that day; which does not allow for adequate rest. The reporter called in fatigued for an trip and was docked pay.