Kenneth Cooper v. Yellow Freight System

Plaintiff filed this action pursuant to the Missouri Service Letter Statute, § 290.140 RSMo 1969. The action was
brought against Yellow Freight System, Inc., his former employer. The court granted defendant's motion for summary judgment
and entered judgment against plaintiff. Plaintiff appeals from that order. The record reveals that plaintiff, an over the road truck driver, was dismissed by defendant after he was involved in an
accident while driving a tractor trailer owned by the defendant. In a letter of June 30, 1976 to plaintiff, defendant gave
as its reason for plaintiff's discharge, "recklessness resulting in a serious accident while on duty." 1 In accordance
with Articles 45 and 46 of the union contract, plaintiff and the union requested that his termination be reviewed by a joint
state grievance committee. After conducting a hearing, the grievance committee denied the claim and sustained the defendant's
discharge of plaintiff.