Southwest Airlines fired Charlene Carter. She was a former flight attendant and was pro-life. In July, she won against the airline and Transport Workers Union Local 5556.
The judge in Carter’s favor issued a directive requiring Carter to be reinstituted with all of her seniority, benefits, and privileges.
Carter was wrongfully terminated by a federal jury for her pro-life views and religious beliefs. The jury awarded Carter $5.1 Million — $950,000 from Local 556 of the Transport Workers Union and $4.15 million from Southwest Airlines.
The Dallas Morning News reported that U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr was nominated in 2019 by Trump. He had to reduce the amount to $810 180 including $150,000 back pay. The damages that companies can claim under federal discrimination law are limited.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Carter will be awarded $300,000.00 in punitive, compensatory, and punitive damages from Southwest, $300,000.00 to the union, $150,000 back-pay, and $60,000 prejudgment interest.
Starr pointed out that Carter’s future salary had been determined by the jury because of her discriminatory firing from Southwest. Carter stated that she would like her job back.
“Carter is restored to her former position by the Court. ”
Starr directed the defendants not to discriminate against Southwest flight attendants on the basis of their religious beliefs or practices. However, they were required to reduce Carter’s compensation.
Starr also demanded that Carter be reinstated to the job he held. Starr demanded that all union members be notified electronically by the union and airline about the court’s decision. Starr also demanded that documents be posted in conspicuous places for two months.
Southwest will remind employees that they cannot discriminate against online opinions about abortion.
The judge stated that Carter’s social media posts were “continuedly searched for” by the airline’s lawyers, rather than pondering and planning for their lives in the future. This was despite the fact that a jury found them “grossly intolerant” of their flight attendants’ speech, in violation of federal law.
Southwest allows bags for free. Starr stated that Southwest doesn’t allow free speech.
Carter complained that Audrey Stone, then the president of the union, used union funds to travel to Washington, D.C., to protest the pro-life views of former President Donald Trump.
Carter had resigned from her union membership many years ago, but her employment conditions required that she continue to pay union fees. These fees were used as a subsidy for the pro-abortion protests held in Washington.
Life News reports Carter was sad and regretful for allowing Planned Parenthood’s murder of her unborn child.
Carter spoke up after being made financially complicit in speech and actions she detests.
Union members vented their disgust at Trump’s refusal to kill the unborn. Carter attacked Stone and the pro-abortion march on social media. Carter called Stone “despicable.”
Southwest representatives called Carter one week later to inquire about her Facebook posts. The company didn’t want to hear her honest answers.
Carter was a long-serving employee of the airline for more than 20 years. He was fired because he violated company harassment policies.
National Right to Work provided Carter with free legal representation. It stated that Carter’s victory over Southwest was a validation of her fundamental right to be dissident from the ideas and causes supported by TWU union officers. Workers are required to support their activities, while workers are required to pay them.
The group stated that American workers should not be afraid to speak out against money being spent on their behalf in order to support an offensive agenda.
Brandy King spoke on behalf of Southwest Airlines and indicated that Southwest Airlines plans to appeal the verdict at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
