MEC Chairperson and System Board Member's Duties & Responsibilities According to the AFA-CWA American
Eagle Policy and Procedures Manual
MEC Chairperson and System Board Member's Duties & Responsibilities According to the AFA-CWA American
Eagle Policy and Procedures Manual
Purpose and Scope:
The Master Executive Council (MEC) Grievance Chair is the primary manager of both the MEC grievances as well as all other grievances at the System Board level. Attendance at hearings and assistance in arbitration is essential to this job. This individual will work closely with the AFA staff attorney assigned to American Eagle. Grievance work is “deadline work.” There are no set hours. Depending on the deadline, at times this will necessitate extremely long workdays; other times the workday will be of normal duration. The duties of the office include both clerical functions as well as an active role in MEC Grievance Mediation and will include participation in LEC Grievances Mediation. The Grievance Chair will have as their primary objective the protection of all Flight Attendants against arbitrary and unjust disciplinary action. The Grievance Chair shall uphold, defend and enforce the collective bargaining agreement, side letters of agreement, grievance and any other settlements, MEC policy and the AFA Constitution and Bylaws. The Grievance Chair shall act to secure the fastest possible procedure for all Flight Attendants in the arbitration of their grievance for disciplinary action.
Duties:
1. File all MEC grievances.
2. Prepare and assemble files.
3. Collect evidence and establish that the alleged violation has occurred. This will normally include soliciting documentation from the various bases.
4. Assist the AFA staff attorney(s) in preparation of all System Board hearings.
5. Ensure that time limits are met for filings, appeals and petitions.
6. Make sure all hotel accommodations and air transportation are coordinated for the grievant(s) and Union witness(es) when arbitration is scheduled.
7. Clearly, concisely and persuasively explain the Union’s position concerning a grievance.
8. Frankly explain to a grievant, LEC Officer or the MEC when there is little or no chance of winning a grievance.
9. Prepare grievance reports to present at MEC meetings.
10. Present proposed settlements of dispute between the Union and the Company to the MEC.
11. Schedule settlement conferences, meetings of the System Board of Adjustment and arbitrations.
12. If any dispute arises regarding the merits of a contract grievance, present the dispute to the MEC for their determination to terminate or continue the grievance process.
13. Recommend resolution of grievances consistent with the policy of the MEC.
14. Act in an advisory role of the MEC and MEC Grievance matters.
15. Study MEC Grievance problems and prepare recommendations to be presented to the MEC for consideration.
16. Review material, handle correspondence and keep the MEC members well informed of current MEC Grievance developments through MEC newsletters and/or reports at MEC meetings.
17. Attend company debriefings when MEC Grievance related issues are discussed.
18. The MEC Grievance Chair will report to the MEC President
Note - This Committee will go to the MEC President for questions or concerns.
K. MEC AIR SAFETY, HEALTH, AND SECURITY CHAIRPERSON
Purpose and Scope:
The MEC Chair shall work with the company on matters pertaining to cabin and flight attendant safety and health. The Safety Chairperson shall be the primary contact with the Company, the FAA and the Air Safety and Health Department of AFA.
Duties:
1. Always be available or leave a contact number or alternate safety contact to be reached by the company or the LEC Chairs in the event of an accident, incident or investigation.
2. Be available on call 24 hours in the event of an accident.
3. Act in an advisory role of the LEC Chairs on safety matters.
4. Study air safety and health problems and make recommendations to the MEC for consideration.
5. Review material, handle correspondence and keep the MEC well informed of safety developments.
6. Prepare articles for the MEC newsletters and/or reports at MEC meetings.
7. Attend company debriefings when safety related issues are discussed.
8. Coordinate local safety issues for carrier wide consistency.
9. The MEC Health And Safety Chair will report to the MEC Vice President.
10. Participate in the Central Safety Meeting, Quarterly Roundtables, and review OSHA Logs.
11. The MEC Health And Safety Chair may be trained in Critical Incidents.
Note - This Committee will go to the MEC Vice President for questions or concerns.
Purpose and Scope:
This position is responsible for the coordination of EAP/PS functions in the airline. The MEC EAP chair shall coordinate with the AFA International EAP Department and the Local EAP/PS chairs. In the event of an accident or incident the MEC Chair should be available on a 24 hour basis. The EAP is a support service provided by flight attendants for flight attendants, their families and partners. EAP Peer Representatives are trained to provide three distinct, but interrelated, services, which include Assessment, Support and Referral Services.
Professional Standards
EAP offers a range of conflict resolution strategies, skills and support to help co-workers resolve disputes among themselves without the need for management intervention.
Critical Incident Response
EAP offers and/or coordinates a range of critical incident stress management services to promote and accelerate recovery in the aftermath of traumatic and/or critical incidents, both on and off the job.
Duties:
1. EAP Reps assist members in identifying and developing an action plan to address personal and work related concerns.
2. EAP provides support to a troubled flight attendant (TFA) during the problem resolution process.
3. When professional services or resources are required, the EAP identifies an appropriate referral(s) and facilitates the TFA’s successful linkage to it.
4. The MEC EAP Chairperson will report directly to the MEC Vice President.
Note - This Committee will go to the MEC Vice President for questions or concerns.
Purpose and Scope:
This chairperson must have knowledge of the contract, FARs, flight time-duty time-crew rest-guidelines and have computer competency. This committee supports the building of lines in each domicile to assure the highest of life for the flight attendant membership.
Duties:
1. Shall work with the company and local scheduling chairs on the construction of monthly lines of flying.
2. Will be responsible for discussing scheduling problems with the company and will report such problems and solutions to the MEC.
3. Monitor the company throughout the scheduling process for the quality of the trips and the lines.
4. Establish history of schedules, save monthly schedules, bid awards and staffing numbers.
5. Request feedback from all LEC Scheduling Chairs on flights where service, staffing or time prevents Flight Attendants from maintaining acceptable standards of performance.
6. Compile the feedback and relay it to the MEC.
7. Use domicile feedback to work with the company to resolve the union’s problems and concerns.
8. The MEC Scheduling Chair will report to the MEC Vice President
Note - This Committee will go to the MEC Vice President for questions or concerns.
Purpose and Scope:
This position is responsible for the tracking an updating of membership, addresses and status changes. Personal address, phone numbers and membership status changes to which AFA has access are considered confidential and should be surrendered at the end of the chair’s term or resignation.
Duties:
1. To receive and review AFA’s records whenever they are mailed to the chair.
2. To reconcile such records with the most recent records of AMR management.
3. To ensure that new members receive the AFA new hire packets when they become employees and sign a membership and complete a dues check-off form.
4. Send Presidents a list of transfers, change of any information and transfers (including new hires) into the domicile.
5. The MEC Membership Chair will provide monthly statements to the MEC President of Members whom are in Bad Standing and/or in dues arrears.
6. Will monitor Membership Rosters and Seniority Lists.
7. The MEC Membership Chair will report directly to the MEC Vice President.
Note - This Committee will go to the MEC Vice President for questions or concerns.
Purpose and Scope:
This position is responsible for assisting in the communication and implementation of AFA’s Legislative Program. This committee shall monitor the political environment, system wide, as it pertains to the well being of the American Eagle Flight Attendant.
Duties:
1. Report to the MEC on all AFA Legislative activities and programs.
2. Coordinate all FLIGHTPAC activities.
3. Coordinate all AFA Legislative training for the membership.
4. Provide a course of Legislative Action and support of said action to the MEC.
5. Interface with all LEC and MEC Reps and Chairs
6. The MEC Legislative Affairs Chair will report to the MEC Vice President.
Note - This Committee will go to the MEC Vice President for questions or concerns.
Duties
1. The System Board members will serve as the AFA-appointee on the American Eagle Airlines Flight Attendants System Board of Adjustment (“the Board”) for the purpose of gathering evidence, testimony and argument, whether written or oral, whenever the Board convenes to arbitrate disputes and/or grievances which may arise under the terms of the Agreement between American Eagle Airlines and its Flight Attendants.
2. The System Board member(s) selected to serve on a specific Board will apprise themselves of the issue(s) involved in the dispute(s) to be arbitrated, as well as the Union’s theory and arguments of the case(s).
3. The System Board member(s) selected to serve on a specific Board will attend the entirety of the arbitration, whether conducted in person, telephonically or by other electronic communication.
4. The System Board member(s) selected to serve on a specific Board will attend any Executive Session(s) called by the neutral member of the Board, the Company appointee(s) to the Board or the Union appointee(s) to the Board.
5. Draft Decisions of the System Board of Adjustment will be considered to be “confidential” until such time as the decision has been signed by a majority of the Board members comprised of the Union-appointee, the Company-appointee and the neutral member of the Board.
