Santa Barbara Paper's Union Vote Set For Sept. 27

By: Joe Strupp Newsroom employees of the embattled Santa Barbara News-Press will vote on Sept. 27 whether to be represented by an affiliate of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, union and newspaper management revealed.

In dueling press releases, a spokeswoman for the News-Press and an attorney for the Teamsters' Graphic Communications Conference, stated that they had agreed to the date for some 50 News-Press employees to vote on unionization.

"After weeks of editors' and reporters' resignations, press conferences dramatizing the intimidation and repression visited upon the staff by management, suspensions and other punishment of reporters for exercising their federally-protected labor rights, and an ongoing subscription cancellation campaign, the NLRB has managed to cut through management's delay tactics and make the arrangements to hold a secret ballot election," union leaders said in their statement. "The Union looks forward to a rousing victory on September 27, and a prompt and successful collective bargaining negotiation following immediately thereafter."

Agnes Huff, a spokeswoman for the newspaper, acknowledged the vote, but also noted that the paper believes a union is not needed. "The News-Press does not feel that union representation is in the best interest of the employees, but this is a choice that every eligible employee must make personally and privately for themselves," she stated. "The process is moving forward without delay."

Currently, none of the paper's 240 full-time employees are represented by unions, Huff said.

The union vote is the latest in a series of developments at the privately-owned paper, dating back to the July 6 resignations of several editors, including top newsroom boss Jerry Roberts. They departed after accusing owner Wendy McCaw of meddling in newsroom activities. Since then, some 19 editorial employees have quit, Huff confirmed.

In just the past week, 11 employees have been suspended for allegedly breaking newsroom rules with a complaint letter to McCaw, new unfair labor practice charges were filed by both employees and management, and an estimated 3,000 subscribers have asked to have their subscriptions cancelled through an employee-led boycott campaign,

The paper's turmoil has also spread to local community groups and celebrities, including a group of religious leaders who published a letter criticizing the newspaper. Former Reagan biographer Lou Cannon and one-time network newsman Sander Vanocur also have weighed in publicly with their support for the workers.