The disciplinary process from a union rep's side: what happens at the meeting, what to bring, what to say and the cases that end careers versus a warning

easyJet Manchester, cabin manager, and I am also a union rep, so I have sat in a lot of disciplinary meetings on the crew member's side. The disciplinary thread on here is 'what to do in the 48 hours'. This is the whole process from the rep's chair.

How it starts

An investigation invitation: a letter or email saying the airline is investigating an allegation (a lateness pattern, a sick call pattern, a passenger complaint, a uniform or grooming issue, an incident on the aircraft, a social media post, a layover incident). The investigation meeting is a fact finding, not a hearing. You are asked what happened. You can bring a rep. Bring one.

What to bring

Your own record: the roster, the sick notes, the messages to crewing, the timeline. Your rep. Your calm. And the honest version of what happened, prepared in advance with the rep, because the investigation notes are what the hearing uses.

What to say

The facts, briefly, in order. What you did and why. What you would do differently, if the honest answer is that you would. Not: the excuse, the blame, the argument with the investigator, or the thing you think they want to hear. The investigator writes down what you say and the hearing reads it. A clear, short, honest account is the strongest thing on the file.

The hearing

If the investigation finds a case, a disciplinary hearing: a manager who was not the investigator, you, your rep, the evidence, your response. Outcomes: no action, a verbal or written warning, a final written warning, dismissal. The rep's job is to make sure the process is fair, the evidence is real, and the outcome is proportionate. The rep's other job is to tell you privately when the case is strong against you and the best outcome is a warning accepted quietly.

The cases that end in a warning

A lateness pattern with an explanation and a plan. A sick call pattern with medical evidence. A uniform issue, first time. A passenger complaint about attitude, first time, with a plausible account. A social media post that was unwise but not a breach of the serious rules. A layover incident that was embarrassing but not dangerous.

The cases that end careers

Alcohol within the bottle to throttle window, every time. A safety breach that was deliberate or reckless (the armed door, the missed check with consequences). Theft. Violence. A serious social media breach (passengers identified, the airline defamed). Falsified sick notes or documents. Dishonesty in the investigation, which turns a warning case into a dismissal case more often than anything else.

The appeal

Every outcome can be appealed and the rep does the appeal with you. Appeals succeed when the process was unfair or the outcome was disproportionate. They rarely succeed on 'I disagree'.

The thing crew do not know

The rep is on your side and is not your lawyer. We cannot make a strong case weak. We can make an unfair process fair and a harsh outcome proportionate. And the crew who come to us before the investigation meeting, with the record and the honest version, are the ones who get the warning instead of the dismissal. The ones who come after the hearing are the ones we can only help appeal.

For everyone

Join the union in month one. Keep your own records. Tell the truth in the investigation. And do not drink in the window, because that is the one case where no rep on earth can help you.