Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants
485 U.S. 175 · Decided March 2, 1988 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants was decided on March 2, 1988 by a vote of 4–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. The Justices were equally divided, which leaves the lower court's judgment in place without setting precedent. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Labor-management employee discharge” in the Unions area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 485 U.S. 175 · 108 S. Ct. 1101 · 99 L. Ed. 2d 150 · 1988 U.S. LEXIS 1068
- Docket number
- 86-1650
- Decided
- March 2, 1988
- Argued
- January 12, 1988
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Equally divided vote
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 4–4
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Labor-management employee discharge
- Issue area
- Unions
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Equally divided vote | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Equally divided vote |
Did not participate: Anthony M. Kennedy.
Full case caption
Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants
SCDB identifiers: case 1987-042, docket 1987-042-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Labor-management employee discharge”
- Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants
- Arthur Groves v. Ring Screw Works
- National Labor Relations Board v. City Disposal Systems, Inc.
- National Labor Relations Board v. Transportation Management Corp.
- Eastern Associated Coal Corporation v. United Mine Workers of America
- Golden State Bottling Co., Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board
Same Term, same area (Unions)
- United Paperworkers International Union v. Misco, Inc.
- Federal Labor Relations Authority v. Aberdeen Proving Ground
- Edward J. Debartolo Corp. v. Florida Gulf Coast Building & Construction Trades Council
- Regents of the University of California v. Public Employment Relations Board
- Landers v. National Railroad Passengers Corporation
- McLaughlin v. Richland Shoe Co.
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error