Jury Awards KY Firefighters $1M For Unlawful Firing After Unionization

Posted on 07/25/2025

A federal jury recently awarded two former Kentucky firefighters $1 million after they were fired for forming a union.

Jamie Bottom and Derrick Steele received the award July 18 after a Lexington jury determined they were unlawfully fired from the Harrodsburg Fire Department in 2023.

Soon before they were fired, Steele, a captain, and Bottom, a lieutenant, were elected to leadership positions of a newly formed union that represented the department.

“This verdict sends a clear message: Workers have a fundamental right to union representation,” said Edward Kelly, general president for the International Association of Fire Fighters, a union that represents firefighters nationwide. “This was a tremendous win for our members and families.”

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