Southwest Airlines Returns to Court Over Firing of Anti-Abortion Activist Flight Attendant
Southwest Airlines is back in court over the 2017 termination of flight attendant Charlene Carter, who claims she was fired for expressing anti-abortion views. The legal battle continues as Southwest seeks to overturn a previous court ruling.
The case has been ongoing since Carter's dismissal, with a judge previously ordering Southwest to reinstate her and compensate for her losses. Southwest contends that Carter's firing was due to her manner of expression, which included sending confrontational messages to union president Audrey Stone.
Southwest is attempting to reverse US District Court Judge Brantley Starr's decision, which mandated the airline to pay $810,180 in damages, including $150,000 in back pay. The original jury award was $5.3 million, but it was reduced due to federal discrimination law limits.
Carter's termination followed a series of hostile messages she sent to Stone after the Women's March in Washington, D.C. In her communications, Carter condemned Stone's participation in the march, calling her "despicable." Southwest maintains that Carter's actions violated company policies on workplace civility.
Carter argues that her firing violated federal protections against religious discrimination. Judge Starr had ordered Southwest to clarify to its flight attendants that it does not discriminate based on religious beliefs. Additionally, three members of Southwest's legal team were mandated to attend religious liberty training.
A union member for nearly 20 years, Carter withdrew her membership in 2013 after discovering her union fees supported pro-abortion causes. Despite this, she was required to continue paying union fees as an active employee.
The National Right to Work Foundation supports Carter's case, with its president, Mark Mix, accusing Southwest of violating Carter's rights at the union's behest and misleading other workers about the situation. Mix asserts the foundation will continue to fight against Southwest's actions.