Barr v. Kelso-Burnett Co.

The issue involved in this appeal is whether the plaintiffs have stated a valid cause of action based on the tort of retaliatory discharge. The eight plaintiffs were formerly employed by the defendants as foremen at the construction of the Clinton nuclear power plant. Plaintiffs allege in their complaint that they were discharged in violation of certain constitutional and statutory rights. They allege that their discharge violated “an established public policy of the State of Illinois,” presumably found in the statutory and constitutional rights allegedly violated. In particular, the…