NLRB Charges Illegal Lockout at the Toledo Blade

For More Information, Jeff Miller or Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168, jmiller@cwa-union.org and cjohnson@cwa-union.org

The NLRB this week backed CWA's charge that the August lockout of CWA printers and other workers at the Toledo Blade was illegal, while also citing a wide range of other labor law violations by the newspaper.

The director for NLRB Region 8, Frederick J. Calatrello, set a hearing date of March 19, 2007, to try charges that the publisher has failed to bargain in good faith with its unions, illegally locked out over 200 printers, mailers, paper handlers and engravers, and engaged in multiple acts of coercive surveillance and illegal threats to fire workers.

"The NLRB complaint has vindicated our locals' bargaining position and focused the blame for this unnecessary labor dispute on the company. Hopefully, they will now bargain in good faith so that our members can get back to work with a fair contract," said CWA Printing Sector President Bill Boarman.

Journalists represented by The Newspaper Guild-CWA also have been in bargaining with the newspaper but so far have not been locked out.

If the Blade is convicted of the labor board's charges, the workers could receive a sizeable award for back pay and benefits. Issues in the dispute include demands by the Blade for major cutbacks in wages, health care and other benefits as well as virtually eliminating job protections and weakening of grievance provisions and union rights.

Go to www.stoptheblade.com for more information on the dispute.