By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff Saturday, January 31st, 2009

Federal labor officials on Jan. 23 dismissed five unfair labor practices charges that Ampersand Publishing, parent of the Santa Barbara News-Press, filed against newsroom union representatives.

The filings stem from the union’s attempts to persuade News-Press advertisers to boycott the newspaper. The News-Press accused union representatives of bad-faith bargaining and breaking laws in their boycott efforts.

But federal labor officials said the evidence didn’t support the News-Press’ charges, according to letters sent to the Cappello & Noel, the Santa Barbara-based firm representing the newspaper.

The union’s steps to persuade advertisers to boycott – which included passing out handbills and contacting management at Chuck’s Steakhouse of Hawaii and other local businesses – were within the law and protected, according to the letters.

Union officials called the dismissals a “vindication.” Reached by e-mail by the Business Times, News-Press attorneys declined to comment.

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