Beckman v. Freeman United Coal Mining Co.

At issue in this appeal is the decision by the circuit court of Macoupin County to dismiss the plaintiff’s tort action sounding in retaliatory discharge with prejudice. The court found that the lawsuit was barred due to a prior arbitration proceeding. An arbitrator had previously determined that the defendant did not violate the collective-bargaining agreement in force between it and the plaintiff’s bargaining unit when it terminated the plaintiff’s employment for an unexcused absence from work for two consecutive days. Plaintiff’s subsequent suit sought damages for a discharge allegedly in…