Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants

Decided February 28, 1989. Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 87-548 · 489 U.S. 426 (1989) · Cited 139 times

Holding

An employer is not required by the RLA to lay off junior crossover employees in order to reinstate more senior full-term strikers at the conclusion of a strike.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 6–3.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen v. Jacksonville Terminal Co. · 394 U.S. 369 (1969)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Erie Resistor Corp. · 373 U.S. 221 (1963)
• Brotherhood of Railway & Steamship Clerks v. Florida East Coast Railway Co. · 384 U.S. 238 (1966)
• National Labor Relations Board v. MacKay Radio & Telegraph Co. · 304 U.S. 333 (1938)
• International Ass'n of MacHinists v. Street · 367 U.S. 740 (1961)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Fleetwood Trailer Co. · 389 U.S. 375 (1967)
• Belknap, Inc. v. Hale · 463 U.S. 491 (1983)
• Chicago & North Western Railway Co. v. United Transportation Union · 402 U.S. 570 (1971)
• Burlington Northern Railroad v. Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes · 481 U.S. 429 (1987)
• Virginian Railway Co. v. System Federation No. 40 · 300 U.S. 515 (1937)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Great Dane Trailers, Inc. · 388 U.S. 26 (1967)
• Steele v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad · 323 U.S. 192 (1944)
• Radio Officers' Union of the Commercial Telegraphers Union v. National Labor Relations Board · 347 U.S. 17 (1954)
• Switchmen's Union v. National Mediation Board · 320 U.S. 297 (1943)
• Metropolitan Edison Co. v. National Labor Relations Board · 460 U.S. 693 (1983)
• Humphrey v. Moore · 375 U.S. 335 (1964)
• Mastro Plastics Corp. v. National Labor Relations Board · 350 U.S. 270 (1956)
• Texas & NOR Co. v. Brotherhood of Ry. & Steamship Clerks · 281 U.S. 548 (1930)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. · 388 U.S. 175 (1967)
• Railway Employes' Department v. Hanson · 351 U.S. 225 (1956)
• Pattern Makers' League v. National Labor Relations Board · 473 U.S. 95 (1985)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Air Line Pilots Ass'n v. O'Neill · 499 U.S. 65 (1991)
• Consolidated Rail Corporation v. Railway Labor Executives' Assn. · 491 U.S. 299 (1989)
• Independent Federation of Flight Attendants v. Zipes · 491 U.S. 754 (1989)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1989). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).