Charlene Carter, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant, received almost $1,000,000 in damages after a jury found that both the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and Southwest Airlines violated federal law by firing her for expressing personal and religious beliefs. The decision follows an April 28 ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding Carter’s claims.
The case highlights ongoing debates about workers’ rights to express their views in the workplace. Carter had criticized TWU Local 556 leadership for using union dues to support political activism she opposed. She was represented by attorneys from the National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation.
Carter filed her lawsuit in 2017, alleging violations of both the Railway Labor Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. After five years of litigation, a jury awarded her $5 million; however, under federal law she ultimately received damages totaling $946,102.87 as confirmed by a Satisfaction of Judgment filed with the District Court. The court also ordered that Carter be reinstated as a flight attendant at Southwest.
“Being a flight attendant is my livelihood and my passion, and union officials tried to manipulate company policy to upend my career simply because I spoke out about my most sincerely held beliefs,” said Carter. “This case has been a long, hard fight, but I’ll never stop sticking up for what I know is right, and I hope that both my employer and TWU union bosses have learned that it doesn’t pay to stifle flight attendants’ freedom of religion and speech.” The District Court continues to consider whether Southwest attorneys should be held in contempt over notices sent regarding its holding on religious discrimination.
Mark Mix, President of National Right to Work Foundation said: “Ms. Carter was courageous in standing up to protect her religious and personal beliefs from the schemes of radical union officials and a compliant employer. While she is finally receiving compensation for her struggle, no one should forget that federal law still forces workers to accept union ‘representation’ they oppose and, adding insult to injury, forces workers to pay unwanted unions… We hope Carter’s case will prompt a long-overdue conversation about how coercive union boss power infringes on the rights of millions of hardworking Americans.”
The National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation works on protecting employees from compulsory unionism through free legal aid as described on its official website. The organization advances workers’ freedom via strategic litigation related to compulsory unionism issues according to its website. It provides free legal assistance along with educational resources aimed at safeguarding worker rights against mandatory fees as noted online, focusing broadly on labor rights advocacy according to its official site.
