Sw. Airlines Co. v. Local 555, Transp. Workers Union of Am. AFL-CIO

**What happened:** Southwest Airlines and the Transportation Workers Union disagreed about when their collective bargaining agreement (CBA) officially took effect. The union filed a grievance on March 28, 2016, but Southwest argued it was filed too late. The dispute centered on whether the CBA became effective when it was ratified by union members on February 19, 2016, or when it was formally signed on March 16, 2016. An arbitrator initially ruled in favor of the union, but Southwest appealed to federal court. **What the court decided:** The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Southwest Airlines. The court found that the arbitrator made an error by ignoring clear language in the collective bargaining agreement. The contract clearly stated it would take effect upon ratification (February 19), not upon signing (March 16). Since the union filed its grievance on March 28, it was filed more than 30 days after the February 19 effective date, making it untimely under the contract's deadlines. **Why this matters for workers:** This ruling emphasizes how important timing is when filing workplace grievances. Workers and unions must pay close attention to contract deadlines and understand exactly when agreements take effect. Missing filing deadlines—even by a few days—can result in losing the right to pursue valid workplace complaints through the grievance process.