Pressmen's Union Plans Protest Against 'L.A. Times'

By: Joe Strupp Unionized pressroom employees at the Los Angeles Times, who ratified their first contract just last December, are claiming unfair and even retaliatory treatment from management, and are planning a Monday rally outside the paper to protest.

"This rally is to protest and bring the public?s attention to the
recent announcement of mass layoffs and other flagrant anti-union tactics that management has used against us since we voted to ratify an employment contract in December," an announcement from the Graphic Communications Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 140-N states.

"In response to us exercising our federally protected rights to organize our pressrooms, management has retaliated by intimidating, unjustly disciplining and spying on union members; demoting union members for supporting the union; and, threatening to lay off 63 full-time pressroom employees, thus potentially creating an unsafe and demoralized work environment.

"Our union lawyers have recently filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board requesting that it prosecute the company for using these tactics against the hard-working men and women of our pressrooms."

Times officials released a statement in response to the union announcement, which stated: "Unfortunately, like other newspaper companies, the Los Angeles Times is not immune from the pressures of this difficult economy. Consequently, tough decisions were made that included reducing its workforce across the entire company, including the pressroom.

"From the onset, The Times has respected the pressmen's right to organize. In fact, despite this very difficult economy The Times and the Union reached a 3 year contract agreement in December 2008 that was ratified by the employees. The company's actions have been completely in compliance with the contract."

Union members voted for representation by the GGC union in January 2007, with negotiations resulting in a contract late last year.

"Now, the company is attempting to destroy our newly formed local before it can even establish itself. Our pressroom employees and their families have been through enough!" the announcement said, adding that "this protest is not a call for anyone to stop working for, or doing business with, the LA Times."