by: Barney Brantingham | Santa Barbara Independent

In its second decision against the Santa Barbara News-Press in a year, the National Labor Relations Board on Thursday affirmed a judge’s finding that the paper was bargaining in bad faith. The newsroom union has been in fruitless contract negotiations with management since 2007.

There was no immediate response from the paper, but it is expected that owner Wendy McCaw will appeal to a federal court, as she did in August 2011, when the NLRB ordered her to reinstate eight reporters illegally fired for protected union activities. The case is being closely watched in the newspaper industry due to possible effects on labor relations.