Grievance

The Grievance Committee is responsible for assisting flight attendants in resolving workplace disputes by ensuring that the terms of the collective bargaining agreement are upheld. We work to investigate, file, and advocate for grievances related to contract violations, disciplinary actions, or other workplace concerns. The committee plays a key role in protecting members' rights and ensuring fair treatment by working with management to resolve issues through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration if necessary.

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers!

Find your Local Grievance contact info at the bottom this page.

Grievance Quick Tips

TIP 1:

If questioned about a complaint letter, ask the inquirer to email it to you. Immediately email your Local Grievance Committee before providing a written response

TIP 2:

You’re entitled to AFA representation ANYTIME you participate in a discussion or meeting with management.

TIP 3:

If you receive a Letter of Discipline and you disagree, you may have a grievance filed on your behalf. *

*Non-Probationary Only

TIP 4:

Your Grievance case will only be as strong as YOU make it! Please be sure to provide all required information in a timely manner. You will be asked to provide a fact-based statement.

Notice of Investigations (NOIs): How to Handle Them

What is a Notice of Investigation?

“A Notice of Investigation is issued to formally advise a Flight Attendant that an event has occurred that requires an investigative meeting. The Company’s investigation will determine if points and/or a Notice, Final Warning, or Termination is warranted. Please refer to Section 22.C of the Flight Attendant Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) regarding the NOI meeting process.” - Spirit Airlines Attendance & Reliability Policy For All Flight Attendants, Rev. 2 May 2018

For additional information regarding the grievance process, please refer to your current collective bargaining agreement, Section 22: Grievance Procedure and System Board (22.C.1 and 22.C.2)

Step One: Read the Letter / Email

The NOI letter from the company will provide details about all of the information you need for the NOI process.

Please DO NOT ignore the letter! Follow what it says to do; take a deep breath and keep a level head.

Reach out to your local EAP representatives if you are feeling overwhelmed.

Step Two: Reach Out to Your Inflight Supervisor

Your supervisor and their contact information will be listed in the letter and the preferred method of contact.
Spirit AFA-CWA strongly recommends emailing your supervisor; this creates a paper trail and documents that you have followed the correct NOI procedure.
Only email once; you have now done your due diligence, and the ball is in their court.
Hold off on asking management questions until the day of the NOI meeting. Trying to resolve the issue on your own rarely works.

Step Three: Schedule Your Notice of Investigation (NOI)

Schedule your meeting with the company; the date and time must be mutually agreed upon. (CBA 22.C.2)

We STRONGLY urge you to consult with a local grievance representative FIRST to decide on a meeting date to ensure you have AFA representation before contacting management! Management is urging flight attendants to not have AFA present!

If you fail to schedule your meeting, a time will automatically be scheduled and you won’t be able to prepare properly for your investigation.
It might be tempting to schedule your meeting right away just to “get it over with,” but consider doing yourself a favor by scheduling it a few days out. This gives you and your grievance team time to gather information that could potentially help your case.

Step Four: Request an AFA-CWA Representative

Why, you ask? Going into these meetings without an AFA Grievance Representative is like going into court without a lawyer. Would you go to court without your lawyer if you’re innocent?

It should be a RED FLAG to a flight attendant when approached by a supervisor stating any of the following:

You do not need a union representative present.
You can waive your rights to representation.
That a supervisor used to be a grievance representative and they “know how grievance works.”
We STRONGLY urge you to consult with a local grievance representative FIRST to decide on a meeting date to ensure you have AFA representation before contacting management! Management is urging flight attendants to not have AFA present!

The AFA dues you pay each paycheck give you access to representation from an AFA representative who is trained to protect YOU!
Your AFA Representatives know both the contract as well as the company policies and will have your back throughout the entire process.

Step Five: Submit Supporting Information

If you wish to discuss your case with an AFA representative prior to your investigative meeting, please reach out to your Grievance Committee using your PERSONAL EMAIL to schedule a time to discuss your case.
Make sure you gather all documentation and review it prior to speaking with your representative. Please ensure to send your representative anything you would like them to review beforehand.

Be sure to title the subject of your email in the following format: employee number - full name, NOI Assistance.

EX: 123456 - Sally Johnson, NOI Assistance

Helpful Grievance Resources

The resources below will require your Spirit employee credentials for SSO login.

Personal Responsibility Handbook

Attendance & Reliability Handbook

Look Book (GEM Manual)

Your Questions, Answered

The Grievance Committee regularly assists members with questions about Notices of Investigation (NOIs), disciplinary procedures, and the grievance process. To help members understand what to expect, we have compiled Frequently Asked Questions outlining how to respond to a NOI, how to coordinate with your assigned Union Representative, and the Union’s role in protecting your contractual rights during an investigation.

These FAQs also explain the principles of “just cause,” which guide how discipline is evaluated, and provide instructions on how to dispute NOI Resolutions or Points Notices through the grievance process, including important filing deadlines. You will also find guidance on scheduling NOI meetings, preparing in advance, and contacting your assigned Representative with questions before your investigation.

Members are encouraged to review these FAQs to better understand their rights and available resources when navigating investigations and discipline.

- When the Company intends to investigate an alleged violation of Company policy, they must issue a NOI (Notice of Investigation) to the Flight Attendant(s) involved within ninety (90) days of the date on which the Company became aware of the alleged violation.
- When you receive a NOI notice, please respond to the supervisor you received the email from and let them know the date on which you would prefer to have the meeting held. If AFA is unavailable on the date(s) you have selected, the Company supervisor will let you know and offer alternative dates.
- NOIs are held by Microsoft Teams, audio only. We strongly recommend scheduling your NOI meeting on a day off so that you will receive an additional one (1) hour of pay. Meetings scheduled for days on which you have a trip or are sitting reserve do not qualify.
- Lastly, review the above section on how to handle a NOI for additional resources.
Absolutely! Once you have received email confirmation of the date and time of the NOI meeting, please reach out to XXXgrievance@spiritafa.com (replace XXX with your base’s three letter airport code). The Rep. assigned to your NOI will respond to you as soon as possible and offer to coordinate a time to speak via phone before the meeting.
The Union’s role in the NOI process is to ensure all of your contractual rights are protected and to advocate for you. The union rep. Assigned to your NOI will be present on the call with you for the duration of the scheduled meeting, will interject if the Company’s representative(s) ask harassing, repetitive, or irrelevant questions, and will speak on your behalf towards the end of the call.
Typically, the Company must have what is called “just cause” to discipline a Flight Attendant. These are the key principles of just cause:
1. Notice. Was the employee adequately warned of the consequences of his/her conduct?
2. Reasonable Rule or Order. Was the employer's rule or order reasonably related to efficient and safe operations?
3. Investigation. Did management investigate before administering the discipline?
4. Fair Investigation. Was the investigation fair and objective?
5. Proof. Did the investigation produce substantial evidence or proof of guilt?
6. Equal Treatment. Were the rules, orders, and penalties applied evenhandedly and without discrimination
7. Appropriate Discipline/Penalty. Was the penalty reasonably related to the seriousness of the offense and the past record?
Please keep in mind that these principles serve as a general overview of the standard by which the fairness of discipline is evaluated, and the Company and Union may sometimes differ in opinion on interpretation and application. When a Flight Attendant receives an outcome from a NOI that they disagree with, they are permitted to file a ticket in the Support Center.
- Please ‘File a Ticket’ in the top right corner of the website, click ‘Open a New Ticket’, login, and select Grievance and the applicable issue under the ‘Help Topic’ dropdown menu. AFA will respond to the ticket as soon as possible and request that a grievance be filed. Grievances must be filed within thirty (30) days of when the Flight Attendant was issued the NOI Resolution or Points Notice. For this reason, tickets must be filed as soon as possible.
- Once the grievance has been filed, further information will be posted to your ticket. Please ensure you are checking your email frequently for updates regarding your grievance. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that filing a grievance by no means guarantees that the discipline issued will be overturned. It is important to remain realistic, as the Company has the right to issue discipline when just cause exists.