Bigbeerbelly
You say “most pilots in Europe are lackadaisical about what a strong pilot group can accomplish”. To be fair to us, I think it is true to say that most European pilots have never actually witnessed a “strong pilot group” (perhaps the current Lufthansa action is a notable exception). The British Airline Pilots Association (and let us be clear on the fact that this is the ONLY British pilot union) does not have a history of either strong representation or a willingness to lead its membership into industrial action from the front. Thus it is extremely difficult for the UK pilot body to even imagine what a ‘strong pilot group’ might accomplish, though some of us do, I am sure.
Given the above, it seems unlikely that we will even begin to comprehend the words “strength in unity”, let alone hear encouragement for the pro-union attitude. After all, if we do not hear such encouragement from our sole pilot union, from whence is it likely to come?
Since your company does not have non-union pilots, I presume you have not had to exercise the option of refusing to communicate with same. Yet you ask us why we feel your so-called “sterile cockpit” is likely to cause crashes, why we hold that it is dangerous.
With respect, it is not, as you imply, about avoiding “chatting about friends, family, policy, or reading a magazine”. Rather, it is about hostility on an airliner flight deck. Hostility can, of course, be overt or covert, and avoiding communication beyond checklist duties undoubtedly falls into the covert hostility category. Further, though harsh words may sting, communication via body language and the unspoken word is often a great deal more damaging, as well you would know because to employ this technique is actually INTENDED to be harmful to your so-called “scab” colleague. The “scab” colleague, perhaps the Captain, may be so distracted by this conduct, so uncomfortable and frustrated, that he/she is many times more likely to make errors of judgement and action. Let us be realistic here: there is little to be gained from smiling smugly at your “scab” colleague’s induced discomfort while the flight becomes a CFIT statistic, now is there? This is why it is a wholly unsafe practice.
You are entitled to hold your views with respect to non-union pilots reaping the benefit of the long-term effort of unions and their members. And you may well be right. That does not entitle you to forego the fundamental responsibilities that are with you when you take an operating role on the airliner flight deck. You owe it to your passengers and crew, not to mention yourself, to conduct yourself at all times in a manner consistent with safe operation. If you feel so strongly about this issue that you feel compelled to refuse communication with your operating colleagues (“scabs” or not), then you should, perhaps MUST, stand down from the job, get off the flight deck.
For what it’s worth, bigbeerbelly, if a fellow pilot refused to communicate with me while in operation, I would hold it to be a gross violation of safety and I would not only refuse to fly with that individual, I would take the matter up forcefully with my company management and/or the regulatory authority.
Paying your 3% does not in any circumstances give you the right to jeopardise safety. Nothing gives you that right, absolutely nothing. It’s as simple as that.