Tag Archives: Hawaii Newspaper Guild

National Labor Relations Board says Tribune-Herald owner violated labor laws

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Speaking of labor issues, the National Labor Relations Board issued a Valentines Day ruling upholding an earlier decision that Stephens Media, owner of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, took a number of actions in violation of federal labor law in its ongoing attacks on its unions.

We agree with the judge, for the reasons set forth in his decision, that the Reondent violated Section 8(a)(1) of the Act by: interrogating employees;disparately and discriminatorily enforcing its security access policy against the Union; discriminatorily prohibiting employees from wearing buttons and armbands in support of discharged or suspended employees; and promulgating and maintaining a rule prohibiting employees from making secret audio recordings of conversations in response to protected activity. We also agree with the judge that the Respondents violated Section 8(a)(3) and (1) by: issuing a written warning to Koryn Nako; suspending employees Hunter Bishop, Peter Sur, and David Smith; and discharging Bishop and Smith.

Retired Guild administrator Wayne Cahill is quoted on the union’s web site:

“It is about time that the Hawaii Tribune-Herald and its parent Stephens Media end its policy of terrorism against its employees,” said Wayne Cahill, the recently retired administrative officer for the Hawaii Newspaper Guild. “This newspaper company needs to buck up and rescind its illegal policies, rescind the illegal discipline, hire back Hunter Bishop and Dave Smith, and pay them the back pay and benefits they are due.”

–> Read the full 26-page decision.

Honolulu Advertiser employees desperate for information about conditions and consequences of the newspaper’s sale

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The Newspaper Guild reports it has gotten nowhere in bargaining with Gannett over the effects of the upcoming sale of the Honolulu Advertiser.

Both the Hawaii Newspaper Guild and the ILWU have filed grievances against the company for transferring the severance pay obligation from the Advertiser to Oahu Publications Inc. Other unions are expected to file like grievances.

To date the company has rejected all attempts by the unions for so-called effects bargaining. The Company was unable to make any decision again, despite stating previously that the bargaining committee had authority to make decisions.

No word on the lastest meeting, which was scheduled to be held this past Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Advertiser employees are lacking even the most basic information about the sale and transition.

In an email sent to Advertiser publisher Lee Webber and copied to Gannett’s top executives, Advertiser staffer Patricia Kaniho asked for basic information regarding severance, health benefits, accrued vacation and other benefits, conditions on the offer of employment from HA Management, the management company formed to operate the Advertiser during a transition period following closing of the sale to Oahu Publications.

Time is running out and we have been asked to make decisions that will affect our future and the lives of our families. We have been seeking answers to questions that no one seems to have the answers to. Our managers as well as our HR department has been kept in the dark just as much as we have so I guess you could say we are all in the same boat.

I am asking for your help. Would you please try to get answers for us that will help with our decision making? It seems that Gannett has thrown us out with the dirty laundry. We can’t expect anyone from Gannett to understand us, they have not lived with us, they have not shared our food, and they have not seen our smiles or heard our laughter. They do not understand our ways as Kama’aina. BUT, YOU HAVE. You have shared our food; and we have gracefully and willingly shared our smiles and laughter with you.

You will be leaving Hawai’i soon and WE will still be here, WE will still be sharing our food, our smiles and our laughter because that’s how we are. We are The Honolulu Advertiser. We are Maka’ai nana.

Click here to read the full list of questions Kaniho sent to Webber and Gannet. They reflect the dismal lack of basic information being made available to Advertiser employees. It isn’t clear whether there’s any more information available down the street at the Star-Bulletin.