CVR monitoring, I am totally FOR it.
CVR monitoring by any level of airline managment, I am totally AGAINST it.
CVR monitoring by an indipendent 3rd party who is able to contact the crew concerned and bring big violations to their attention, I am totally FOR it.
Lets say the 3rd party is an indipendent union safety rep possibly afiliated with a different carrier.
Lets say that union rep also has a steadfast system in place to shield the identity of any crews he speaks to.
Lets say that airline management may only be informed when a crew has repeatedly violated the sterile cockpit rule (say 3 times) in a big way.
Lets say that our monitoring union guy is only able to action any single CVR "event" if it is considerable (I too agree that a very small number of verbal "prods" can serve as a check on the other guy who is up there with you), thus protecting the crew from a b*****ing for simply slating "the ATC F**kers here for giving us a RW change AGAIN!!!".
Yes, if it were to work like this then I am totally FOR CVR monitoring. Why would anyone not be?
RIX