Date: 202201
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: B737-700
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: Fuselage Bulkhead
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Technician
Reporter qualification: Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Airframe
Human factors: Troubleshooting; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Detector: Person Maintenance
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate
Result: General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure; Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: The day-to-day operations at ZZZ Line Maintenance is that all Line / Zones X - B work the through flights and [the] Hangar works OOS (Out of Service) aircraft and other scheduled maintenance tasks requiring longer ground time. Normally; no one from the Line / Zone is sent to [the] Hangar to work OOS aircraft since it reduces manpower to work through flights. Aircraft go OOS daily and there have been many occasions when OOS aircraft are parked at the Hangar waiting for manpower to be available. But even at that time; no one from the Line / Zone are sent to [the] Hangar to work OOS aircraft. The aircraft remains parked until [the] Hangar has manpower available to work. But on Date; it all changed. As a licensed A&P technician it is my duty and obligation to report known discrepancies. While working the Line / Zone Y; I reported two discrepancies on Aircraft X for cracks in vertical pressure deck web. Both of these cracks were verified by QC Inspector on log pages X and Y. Everyone knows how catastrophic; deadly; dangerous; and damaging vertical pressure deck web cracks can be. Immediately after that; I was re-assigned and sent to [the] Hangar to follow the OOS aircraft and start [the] open up for required sheet metal repair; which was out of the norm.When I arrived at [the] Hangar; the Lead Tech had already assigned other technicians to work this aircraft. Sending me to the Hangar did not alleviate any manpower shortages there; but created a shortage of manpower to work through flights at Line / Zone Y. This added unnecessary additional burden to work through flights on remaining technicians in Line / Zone Y. This was done clearly to punish; retaliate; single out; harass; discriminate; intimidate; threaten and create fear to report known discrepancies.On that day the following policies were ignored by management team: [company core values]. Instead; the following were used by the management team on duty: Punishment; Retaliation; Intimidation; Discrimination; Harassment; Threatening; [and] Fear tactics. Since this has happened; it has created a lot of animosity and anxiety among other technicians to come forward and report discrepancies in fear of retaliation and harassment. This makes for a hostile work environment for all and puts safety at risk. Unfortunately; it is becoming common practice" and "normal" here at ZZZ to retaliate only against technicians who report known discrepancies under the Director and his management team.Knowing the potential hazard posed by vertical pressure deck web cracks; no one from the management team has come forward and said; "Good find; let's get this fixed." Instead; they opted to punish and retaliate against [the] Technician for reporting [the] discrepancy. A disgraceful and shameful behavior from entire ZZZ Management Team involved."




Synopsis: B737-700 Technician reported discovering cracks in the vertical pressure deck web and was surprised to be removed from duty and reassigned.