Labor Law and Workmen's Compensation -- 1956 Tennessee Survey

Labor Law Inducing Breach of Contract: Howard v. Haven' was the only case during the survey period which presented a legal problem relating to the activities of a labor organization. In this case an electrical contractor sought an injunction and damages because of the acts of a local labor union, its business agent, and other named defendants in preventing the plaintiff from carrying out a hospital construction contract. On the trial of the case the determinative issue became whether or not the defendants brought about a breach of the contract which the complainant claimed to have had with the general contractor on the project in question. In response to specific questions the jury found that the defendant local labor union did unlawfully procure a breach of contract which complainant had with the general contractor, but it answered the same question in the negative with respect to the local union's business agent and another named defendant. Damages were assessed by the jury at $7,330, which were trebled in the judgment entered by the chancellor pursuant to Williams code section 7811. ===================================== Workmen's Compensation Employees' claims for workmen's compensation were involved in twenty-three of the cases before the Supreme Court during the survey year, and three cases presented questions of first impression. Although the Tennessee Workmen's Compensation Law was enacted over thirty-seven years ago, controversy still rages with apparently undiminished vigor over its proper interpretation and application.