Port Authority of Allegheny County v. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85.

Port Authority v. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85

What Happened

Robert Irdi, a bus driver for the Port Authority of Allegheny County, was fired after sexually assaulting a passenger. The transit union fought his termination through arbitration and won—an arbitrator ruled Irdi should get his job back. The Port Authority appealed this decision.

What the Court Decided

The appellate court sided with the Port Authority and reversed the arbitration award. The court ruled that the Port Authority cannot be forced to rehire Irdi, even if a union contract typically protects workers from unfair firing. The court found that safety in public transportation is too important to compromise, and employers have a fundamental right to fire workers for serious crimes like sexual assault.

Why This Matters for Workers

This ruling shows that union protections have limits. While collective bargaining agreements offer important job security, they cannot override an employer's responsibility to protect public safety. Serious crimes—especially those affecting passenger safety—fall into a category where employers retain the right to fire workers, regardless of contract terms.