NEWS-PRESS NEWS

The Women’s Political Committee brought its Lemon
Award out of a 10-year retirement so that it could be
given to News-Press owner and publisher Wendy P.
McCaw for instigating the meltdown at Santa Barbara’s
oldest daily paper, which has now seen more than half its newsroom
quit in disgust over McCaw’s direction and management style. “There
is no other name – with the obvious exclusion of Bush and
Cheney – that can, without exception, bring a sour pucker to every
face I know,” said Sharon Hoshida, as she held up a basket of
lemons.

The National Labor Relations Board rejected claims of union
intimidation and coercion filed by
News-Press owner Wendy McCaw about one
week prior to News-Press writers and editors voting to
have the Teamsters represent them at the bargaining table. McCaw
and her attorneys contended that union supporters engaged in loud
and intimidating behavior. Investigators with the NLRB concluded
there was no basis for the charge. McCaw can still appeal the
decision. McCaw has made similar objections to the results of the
union vote – held a month ago – in which an overwhelming number of
newsroom workers voted to be represented by the Teamsters. The NLRB
has yet to rule on the merit of that claim.