Alleged News-Press Threats Incur Charge of Unfair Labor Practices

A charge of unfair labor practices was
filed today with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) today in
response to alleged threats made by Santa Barbara
News-Press lawyer and de facto spokesperson Barry Cappello to
remaining News-Press employees. The filing claims that
Cappello’s statements to other newspapers about the legality of
protests against the paper — in particular the “banner incident” of
Friday, February 3, which ultimately resulted in the termination of
six News-Press employees — are unlawful and aim to
dissuade future protests. Although former employees and union
supporters have stated that the protest banner was not illegal,
Cappello has stated in interviews — including one published in this
week’s Independent — that the News-Press staffers
overstepped the boundaries of legality by encouraging people to
cancel their newspaper subscriptions, and, thus, causing financial
damage to their employer. (Click
here to open a PDF file of the charge.)

Whether the banner protest constituted an illegal activity,
however, remains a matter of debate until NLRB makes a ruling on
the matter.

Officially, this charge was filed by the Graphic Communications
Conference, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that is
affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

As of this afternoon, reports indicate that News-Press
employees protesting their former employer have employed a marching
band in their effort to disrupt the work activities of those still
allowed inside the building.