Newspaper faces 20 new federal charges starting Monday
Contact: Felice Freyer: (401) 949-5668
Cell: (401) 932-1912
Tim Schick: (401) 421-9466
PROVIDENCE, Oct. 18, 2002 - The Providence Journal will go on trial for a second time Monday, facing 20 new charges of violating federal labor laws in its three-year campaign against the Providence Newspaper Guild.
The latest charges involve retaliation against workers for union activity, unilateral changes in working conditions, the Journal's refusal to provide the union with information necessary for bargaining, and illegal bargaining tactics.
The second trial comes just a month after a federal administrative law judge found the Journal guilty of every major charge considered at a previous trial in February. In both trials, the National Labor Relations Board has brought the charges against the Journal.
While the February trial focused on economic and bargaining issues, next week's proceedings will expose the human toll of the Journal's effort to break a 43-year-old union that represents more than 400 workers. The judge will hear testimony about a veteran reporter demoted to "night cops" - a beginner's beat with horrible work hours - in retaliation for union activity; an employee who was fired retroactively as he prepared to return from medical leave; and two people whose involuntary transfer to a different department cost them their seniority.
The trial starts Monday, Oct. 21, at 11 a.m. in the Garrahy Judicial Complex, One Dorrance Plaza, Workers Compensation Courtroom 4(H), Providence. The Guild expects the trial to last about three days. Daily reports of the trial will be posted at www.journalontrial.org.
In the previous trial, Administrative Law Judge William G. Kocol ruled that company illegally imposed inferior medical and dental plans, illegally changed vacation, parking and other benefits, and illegally withheld information requested by the Guild. Kocol ordered to company to compensate Guild members for their losses, including retroactive pay. The Guild estimates that back pay alone will cost $2.6 million, and that the cost of all the mandated remedies could total several million dollars.
The Providence Newspaper Guild represents reporters, editors, photographers, artists, advertising salespeople, computer operators, clerks and janitors. The Guild has been without a contract since 1999.
