United Transportation Union and Carmen J. Famulare v. National Railroad

**Railroad Worker Fired for Attempted Bribery Loses Appeal** Carmen Famulare, a railroad worker and union representative, was fired by Amtrak for attempting to bribe someone while representing the union. Famulare and his union challenged the termination, arguing that Amtrak didn't have the right to fire him or that the firing process was improper. The case went through multiple levels of review. A labor board initially sided with Amtrak, but a lower court overturned that decision in Famulare's favor. However, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court's ruling in December 2009, ultimately supporting Amtrak's decision to fire Famulare. The appeals court found that the labor board had properly followed railroad industry employment laws and had the authority to uphold the termination. **What this means for workers:** Even union representatives can be fired for serious misconduct like bribery attempts. While unions provide important protections for workers, these protections don't shield employees from consequences when they engage in illegal or highly unethical behavior. Railroad workers should understand that certain actions—particularly those involving corruption—can result in termination even with union representation.