Basic Information about Union Impact
What is Union Impact?
Union Impact is the Grievance Software that TWU 577 uses for Flight Attendants to notify the Union of a potential contract violation. The Grievance Committee reviews grievances that have been filed and either files the grievance with the Company or notifies the Flight Attendant the status of their grievance. Flight Attendants can also use Union Impact to verify their contact information.
When I file a grievance on Union Impact does that mean it has been filed with the Company?
No. The Union first reviews the grievance to ensure it is a contract violation and also will do research into the grievance prior to submitting to the Company. If documentation is needed, the Grievance Committee will email the Flight Attendant for more information.
Definitions of Grievance Status:
- New/Not Reviewed- Waiting for Grievance Committee to review the grievance.
- New/Awaiting Supporting Documentation from Flight Attendant- The Flight Attendant needs to supply whatever documentation the Grievance Committee has requested so the grievance can be reviewed.
- Open/Awaiting Grievance Response or Awaiting Appeal Response- The grievance has been filed. The Grievance Committee could be waiting for grievance response or an appeal response.
- Open/Grievance Response or Appeal Response- The Company has responded to the grievance or appeal and there is a document for the Flight Attendant to view.
- Open/Hearing Date- A grievance hearing has been set up with the Company. There will be a document uploaded into the grievance files with information about the hearing.
- Closed-No Merit- The grievance was denied by the Company and no remedy was offered.
- Closed-Not Filed- The grievance is closed, and it was not filed with the Company because there was no contract violation.
- Closed-Merit/Closed- The grievance is closed, and the full suggested remedy was offered by the company. This is also called a Union Win.
- Closed Settlement/Closed-Labor Relations offered a Grievance Settlement Agreement (GSA). A GSA will be an offer of something different than the original remedy that was suggested in the grievance. GSA’s are on a non-cite, non-precedent basis.
- Withdrawn- The Company was notified that the Union will not be going forward with the grievance. Sometimes a Flight Attendant asks to cancel the grievance, or the issue was settled outside the grievance process and it no longer needs a reply from the Company.
- Closed/Closed- The Flight Attendant filed a duplicate grievance.
- SBA-The grievance has been slated for possible System Board of Adjustment.
Definitions of Grievance Stage:
- Awaiting Grievance Response- The grievance has been filed and we are waiting for the Company to respond to your grievance.
- Grievance Response-The Company has responded to your grievance and there is a document uploaded into the files for you to view.
- Hearing Date-You have a hearing date set up. There is additional information about the hearing in the files for the grievance.
- Appeal Response- The Company has responded to your appeal and there is a document uploaded into the files for you to view.
- Awaiting Appeal Response- The appeal has been filed and we are waiting for the Company to respond to the appeal.
- Awaiting documentation outside the Union-Waiting on someone, i.e., the Company, to supply the Union with requested information.
- Awaiting supporting documentation from Flight Attendant-The Union is waiting on the Flight Attendant to send/upload documentation requested.
- Closed-Your grievance is closed.
- Member to follow up with Union-Union waiting for Flight Attendant to return information, i.e., a JIRA, meeting outcome, etc.
- Not filed-Your grievance was not filed with the Company.
- Requested documentation received-need to review-The Union received the documentation to review the grievance and it is being reviewed.
- Slated for Potential SBA-This means your grievance has been slated for potential System Board of Adjustment. This allows the Union to preserve timelines as we wait to resolve a grievance. It could also mean that the grievance will proceed to System Board of Adjustment once the Executive Board votes on whether it will move forward or not.
Basic Information about Grievances
How do I get to the grievance website?
Go to twu577.unionimpact.com or click File A Grievance under Reports/Requests on the TWU 577 website, twu577.org.
How do I contact the Grievance Committee?
What is a grievance?
A grievance is a violation of your rights as a Flight Attendant that is usually defined by the contract (CBA) and/or interpretation/intent/application of the CBA. It could also be a violation of Company policy or law.
What is not a grievance?
A grievance is not a complaint or change you would like to see in the contract. Grievances should not be filed if the situation was fixed, or discipline has not been issued.
Can anyone file a grievance? What is the difference between probation vs. off probation?
Yes, however if you are on probation, you may only file a grievance for a contractual violation. If you are on probation, you cannot file a grievance for discipline.
How long do I have to file a grievance?
21 days from day of occurrence, not the date affected. Day of occurrence is the day you were or could have been aware. For example, on August 1st, you are called out of order for a trip on August 2nd. Day 1 is August 1st, and if this found to be a contract violation the Grievance Committee must file a formal grievance with the Company on or before August 22nd. Any grievance filed on Union Impact within the 72-hour deadline may not get filed with the Company as this may not give the Grievance Committee sufficient time to research and file the grievance. File on Union Impact as soon as possible.
How long does it take the Grievance Committee to review a filed grievance?
This can vary case by case as everyone on the Team is an active working Flight Attendant and some grievances may take more time to research before filing.
Can I file a grievance for harassment and bullying?
No, this must go to Employee Relations at Allegiant.
Can I file a grievance and also hire an attorney?
No, if you chose to hire an attorney you will need to release the Union and a form will be sent to you to sign and send back.
Can I file a grievance for a Record of Discussion (ROD)?
No, you must wait until there is a level of discipline received, per the CBA.
Do I have to try to resolve my grievance before I file a grievance?
Yes, per the CBA you must give the Company an opportunity to remedy the situation prior to filing a grievance. This could include you setting up a meeting with your Inflight Base Supervisor, filing a JIRA, or a Bid Protest Form, etc.
Can the Company make a mistake and fix it?
Yes. Per the CBA the Company should be addressing these issues and making the necessary changes. I.e., if a Mission Mode was not awarded by seniority.
Can I ask for punitive or compensatory damages in my remedy?
No. When thinking about a potential remedy, you must think about what would make you whole which will vary grievance by grievance.
What does fly now, grieve later mean?
The principle evolves from the Railway Labor Act of 1926 (RLA), as later amended to cover the airline industry. Like the railroads, airlines are considered vital to our national interest as they keep commerce moving and, considering that, we have certain restrictions placed upon us. Congress has mandated that when disputes arise involving interpretation or application of contract provisions, airline workers must “fly now, grieve later.” Exceptions to this could be if a FAR is being broken, or there is a safety issue. Remember you can always professionally question the company by citing the CBA violation, or telling a Crew Scheduler who should have been assigned the trip, for example.
Can I file a grievance against Inflight Base Supervisors and Management?
No, this must go to Employee Relations at Allegiant.
Stages of a grievance:
- FA files on Union Impact.
- Grievance Committee reviews grievance.
- Grievance Committee files and/or notifies Flight Attendant through Grievance Actions the status of the grievance.
- If a level of discipline is filed, a grievance hearing most likely will be set up.
- Labor Relations sends grievance response.
- Grievance Committee uploads the response into the files for the grievance and notifies the Flight Attendant of grievance response via email.
- The grievance could be closed, otherwise a statement is needed by the Flight Attendant to file an appeal or slate the grievance for potential System Board of Adjustment.
What should I do if I file a grievance and then the Company fixes it before Labor Relations responds to my grievance?
Contact the Grievance Committee immediately at grievance@twu577.org and let us know this has been resolved. The Grievance Committee will contact Labor Relations and withdraw your grievance.
What happens if I do not accept my Grievance Settlement Agreement by the Stage Deadline?
This depends on if your grievance is contractual or disciplinary. In a contractual grievance, the Grievance Team may accept on your behalf. For disciplinary grievances, the grievance will be closed/not accepted.
Who are Labor Relations?
Who are Labor Relations?
The department at Allegiant that works with Management and the Union to make decisions on issues that arise whether contractual or disciplinary.
Do the same people in Labor Relations answer my grievance and appeals?
No, grievance responses are answered by the Manager of Labor Relations. Appeals responses are answered by the Director of Labor Relations.
How to File a Grievance
What is the description field in a grievance?
The description field is where you tell the story of what happened including dates, names, city pairings, trip numbers, and any other relevant information. Be professional and check your grammar and spelling as this is what the Company will be reading for contractual grievances.
What is the remedy field in a grievance?
This is where you put what you would like to see as a remedy for the violation. There are some grievances that have standing remedies for certain issues, so this could be changed when your grievance is formally filed with the Company.
What violation should I cite?
It is important to cite the correct section of the CBA that was violated. The Company needs this to reference what you believe has been violated.
Why do I need to upload documentation, under files, with my grievance?
Supporting documentation is needed to corroborate the story you are telling in the description. You should include anything that could be helpful in proving your claim, i.e., screenshots with time stamps, photos, your schedule, call logs, JIRAs, Reserve call out list, etc.
How long until the Company responds?
The Company has 21 days to respond to the grievance or appeal from the date that they receive it. At times it may take longer based on how much research is required. The Company may ask for an extension if they cannot get the response to the Union in 21 days. This extension, with an explanation of why an extension is needed, is likely to be granted as we want Labor Relations to make an informed decision regarding your grievance.
What is a hearing?
A hearing is a meeting with Labor Relations, usually set up when a Flight Attendant files a level of discipline. The hearing is the Flight Attendants chance to tell their story from beginning to end of what occurred, why they think the Company’s decision was unjust, and what the Company should have done.
What is an appeal?
When you disagree with the grievance decision, you can file an appeal. The Flight Attendant must write a statement, with new or compelling information, and then send that statement to the Grievance Committee email address. Once again, anything sent to the Grievance Committee within the 72-hour deadline may not get filed with the Company.
What is System Board of Adjustment (SBA)?
When the Union and Company cannot reach an agreement on an issue, they can send it to an impartial third party for arbitration. The decision of the third party is final and binding. System Board of Adjustment cannot be taken lightly. The cost and resources can bankrupt a Union. Estimates have shown to cost upwards of $10, 000. The decision by an impartial third party could also hurt the Union as the third party might not know all the ins and outs of a Flight Attendants workplace. However, great strides in grey areas can be made setting us up for a stronger future contract. The System Board of Adjustment process can take months to render a decision. Great care will be taken when considering issues for System Board of Adjustment.
How do I find out the outcome of my grievance?
You will be sent an email from Union Impact, or you can log into Union Impact at any time. If there is an update, you will find a message in a Grievance Action, and the grievance decision will be uploaded in your grievance under files.
Who determines what goes to System Board of Adjustment (SBA)?
When grievances are slated for potential SBA, the Grievance Committee will gather all the information and send it to the Union President, who will send it to the Executive Board for review. The Executive Board will vote on if the grievance should move to System Board of Adjustment.
What is a grievance action?
This is where the Grievance Committee sends updates regarding your grievance.
What does stage deadline mean?
This is the due date for whatever is requested in the grievance action.
How does the Grievance Committee notify a Flight Attendant that there has been an update to their grievance?
You will be sent an email, from Union Impact, notifying you there has been an update to your grievance. Be sure that these emails are not going to your junk/spam.
What happens if I do not supply the documentation for a grievance?
If you do not supply the requested documentation, your grievance can be closed/not filed.
How can I re-open a grievance that has been closed? I.e., Flight Attendant did not supply the information necessary for the Grievance Committee to review/research to potentially file?
You will need to email the grievance email address and notify the Grievance Committee that you have updated the closed grievance by uploading the information requested. If we are still within the timeframes of the CBA, we will review to see if the grievance can be re-opened.
How do I upload files into my grievance?
Sign into Union Impact. There are two ways to get into your filed grievance. When you sign in, there are 2 tabs; Information and Grievances. Click on the Grievances tab and down below you will see all filed grievances. Click on the blue action button for the appropriate grievance. On the left-hand side, you will see a detail and files tab. Click on the files tab, click the green plus key, upload your supporting documents, write in a brief description of what you are uploading, and click the save button. The second way is under Grievances, click the blue details button and follow the above steps.
How do I update a grievance description when asked by the Grievance Team?
Sign into Union Impact. Click on grievances, and then click on the grievance you need to update. On the right-hand side you will see a blue edit key. Click on it, and here you can update your grievance article, grievance description, or desired outcome. Only update the area the Grievance Team has requested.
What do I do after I file a grievance?
Sign into Union Impact regularly to see if any update has been made under grievance actions. You will also receive an email from the Grievance Committee when there is an update to your grievance.
What is a Grievance Settlement Agreement (GSA)?
This is an offer from Labor Relations on a non-cite, non-precedent basis. The Grievance Settlement Agreement is an offer from the company that is different from the full remedy that was suggested in your grievance.
What is a Union Win?
This is when Labor Relations agrees to the original remedy that was requested.
How to file certain types of grievances
How do I file a bidding grievance?
Before filing a bidding grievance, the following information is necessary for the TWU 577 Scheduling and Payroll Committee to review to see if a grievance can be filed:
- Your Bid Award Protest Form.
- The response email from your Crew Support Administrator.
- What you bid from the Global List. You were able to download this after you placed your bid.
- Your entire Global List results for the month.
- Your base bid awards.
How do I file a grievance for a level of discipline?
When filing a Level One, Level Two, or Final Warning, in the grievance description type i.e., On (this date), I was unjustly issued (whatever Level of Discipline you are at) for (the reason, which could be attendance, improper conduct, etc.). Then be sure to upload the Level of Discipline, in its entirety under files. For the desired outcome, you could type i.e., Removal of the (Level of Discipline) issued on (this date).
How do I file a grievance for being called out of order?
In the grievance description state the date you were assigned the trip, the date the trip is on, and the name(s) of the Flight Attendants who should have been called and why. Also, under files upload a PDF version of the Interactive Reserve Callout List from Tableau. Please make sure the entire form for your base is included.
How do I file a grievance for attendance?
To file a grievance for points, you must be at a Level of Discipline. We cannot file a grievance for a record of discussion, per the CBA. In the grievance description and desired outcome fields follow the instructions in the question above on how to file a grievance for a Level of Discipline.
How do I file a grievance for a Mission Mode?
To file a Mission Mode grievance state when the Mission Mode was sent out and for what date, city, time etc. in the grievance description. Next, put the name of the Flight Attendant awarded the Mission Mode. You can put a reason as to why you think you should have been awarded the Mission Mode i.e. you did not have any conflicts or legality issues. In the desired outcome you can put the percent the Mission Mode was offered at for your remedy. A couple things to remember- The Company can assign a Mission Mode and then call you back to inform you that they mis-awarded the Mission Mode not by seniority. This is not a grievance as the Company can fix their mistakes before the grievance process. Also, a Mission Mode can be cancelled without notification, per the Mission Mode MOAs, and assigned to a Reserve.