NLRB injunction request hearing Monday

[Earth Bound Misfit]

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2008/03/20/news/breaking/breaking13.txt

A federal court hearing over whether an order should be issued forcing the Santa Barbara News-Press to rehire eight fired reporters has been rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, according to a representative for the union representing the newspaper’s newsroom staff.

The National Labor Relations Board’s General Counsel’s office is seeking an injunction that would require the immediate reinstatement of the employees. A hearing on the matter has been postponed twice in recent weeks.

After a 17-day hearing last summer, Administrative Law Judge William G. Kocol recommended to the NLRB that all eight of the former employees be reinstated with full back pay. However, no action has been taken while the newspaper pursues appeals of the judge’s decision.

Labor troubles at the newspaper burst into public view in July 2006, when the five top editors and a longtime columnist quit over what they called owner-publisher Wendy McCaw’s inappropriate interference with objective news coverage.