Texas high court hears dispute over whether federal labor law preempts state suits against third parties

The Supreme Court of Texas on Monday heard argument in Boeing v. Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (docket nos. cited during argument), a dispute over whether the Railway Labor Act (RLA) preempts state-law claims that require construing collective bargaining agreements when the defendant is a non‑signatory third party.

Why it matters: Counsel for Boeing asked the court to affirm the Dallas Court of Appeals’ ruling that such claims are preempted to preserve a uniform body of federal labor law and to prevent inconsistent state-court interpretations of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Counsel for SWAPA argued the pilots’ claims arise under state tort law and that courts may use a CBA as evidence without triggering preemption.

At oral argument, petitioner’s counsel, identified in the record as Miss…