“A Victory For Freedom Of Speech”: Southwest Flight Attendant Wins Millions After They Fired Her For Being Pro-Life

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Former Southwest flight attendant Charlene Carter was awarded $5.1 million by a jury on Thursday.

Carter was fired by Southwest for her pro-life stance. She expressed her pro-life views on social media and pushed back against the Transportation Workers Union of America (TWU) Local 556 union after the group attended the Women’s March in Washington D.C., in 2017.

That event receives funding from Planned Parenthood.

“Today is a victory for freedom of speech and religious beliefs. Flight attendants should have a voice and nobody should be able to retaliate against a flight attendant for engaging in protected speech against her union,” Carter told FOX Business on Friday. “I am so humbled and thankful for today’s decision and for everyone who’s supported me these past five years, including the National Right to Work Foundation.”

National Right to Work Foundation President, Mark Mix, called out the union following the verdict.

“No American worker should have to fear termination, intimidation, or any other reprisal merely for speaking out against having their own money spent, purportedly in their name, to promote an agenda they find abhorrent,” said Mix.

TWU union officials still enjoy the enormous government-granted privilege of being able to force airline workers to financially subsidize their activities as a condition of employment.”

“While we’re proud to stand with Ms. Carter and are pleased by the verdict, there ultimately should be no place in American labor law for compelling workers to fund a private organization that violates their core beliefs,” he added.

Truth Tent reported:

A jury in federal district court in Dallas handed down the verdict Thursday. If it stands, Charlene Carter could collect $4.15 million from Southwest and $950,000 from Local 556 of the Transport Workers Union, mostly in punitive damages.

Southwest said Friday that it “has a demonstrated history of supporting our employees’ rights to express their opinions when done in a respectful manner.” It plans to appeal. A lawyer for the union said jurors might have misunderstood the judge’s instructions, and it also plans to appeal.

According to court documents, the airline said it fired Carter because posts on her Facebook page, in which she could be identified as a Southwest employee, were “highly offensive” and that her private messages to Stone were harassing. The airline said she violated company policies on bullying and use of social media.

The jury said Southwest unlawfully discriminated against Carter because of her sincerely held religious beliefs.

Carter, a 20-year veteran of Southwest, said the union did not fairly represent her and retaliated against her for expressing her views. Her lead attorney came from the National Right To Work Committee, which campaigns against compulsory union membership.