American Airlines is facing criticism for its new employee scoring system, Me@Work, which flight attendants argue tracks their performance too closely and raises concerns about workplace surveillance. The program, launched in April, compiles a year's worth of data to generate individual scores.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents the carrier's flight attendants, stated that the system monitors metrics including passenger satisfaction surveys, attendance, operational performance, compliance with procedures, Microsoft Teams usage, and the timeliness of incident report filings. According to the union, these metrics can be influenced by factors outside of flight attendants' control, such as flight delays, catering issues, or aircraft maintenance problems.
American Airlines maintains that the Me@Work platform is designed to help employees track their performance and development, rather than serving as a disciplinary tool. However, the union is demanding greater transparency regarding how the scores are calculated and the specific data used, asserting that employees should have the ability to review and challenge information that could affect their records.
The controversy has gained particular attention in California, a state with stringent privacy laws. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as expanded by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), grants California residents, including employees, the right to know what personal information is being collected, how it is used, access that data, and request corrections to inaccuracies. Businesses are also required to inform individuals about their data collection practices.
The APFA has indicated that the airline has not provided flight attendants the opportunity to request corrections or deletions of data, view specific collected information, verify its accuracy, or challenge incorrect details. The union is seeking more information about the Me@Work system's operations and insists on the right for flight attendants to review and contest performance-related data.
This dispute unfolds as American Airlines navigates financial pressures. Despite reporting record revenue of $16.74 billion for the quarter, a 16.3% increase year-over-year, the airline's net income plunged 88% to $71 million. The operating margin also fell to 2.7% from 7.9%. The carrier cited a significant increase in jet fuel prices, which added $2.2 billion to quarterly costs, as a major factor. Consequently, American Airlines lowered its full-year earnings outlook, projecting a range centered on break-even, which led to an 8% drop in its stock price.