A National Labor Relations Board official said Wednesday that an unfair labor practice charge against employees of the Santa Barbara News-Press has been withdrawn, which union organizers trumpeted as a victory, but a spokeswoman for the paper's management disagreed.

Instead, News-Press spokeswoman Agnes Huff said the charge had been amended Wednesday with new allegations that newsroom employees displayed “intimidating and disruptive behavior” by marching in a group through the offices during business hours.

“As far as I know it was an amendment to the charge. I think the board asked (owner Wendy McCaw) whether she wanted to withdraw and she said no,” said Huff, owner of the public relations firm Agnes Huff Communications.

Tony Bisceglia, NLRB spokesman, declined to say why the charge was withdrawn, citing board policy. He also would not say whether the News-Press management withdrew the charge on their own accord or at NLRB's advice.

He said that once a charge is withdrawn, there is nothing to amend. A new charge, however, can be filed at any time.

The original charge alleged that the union used prior newsroom management to solicit and urge editorial employees to sign Teamster authorization cards, and that the newspaper's name and trademark were used to campaign and organize materials to create an impression that the newspaper endorses the union's activities.

News-Press employees are trying to unionize under the Teamsters' Graphic Communications Conference.

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Union attorney Ira Gottlieb called the charge filed by the News-Press “bogus” and maintained that the paper's management filed the charge in an attempt to delay an election among newsroom employees for union representation.

“With the charge out of the way, that's one obstacle out of the way in holding an election,” Gottlieb said.

“We feel that we were vindicated in our position, as we stated all along,” he said.

Huff, however, said that Gottlieb's description of why the News-Press filed the charge was “totally untrue.”

“It's because we want the employees to have the election without any interference and without any coercion from anyone,” Huff said.

Bisceglia said there are numerous reasons why a charge filed with the board could be withdrawn.

“Anytime we make a decision, a charging party can make a decision to withdraw,” he said, speaking in general terms.

Bisceglia said he couldn't give an exact date as to when an election will be held at the newspaper, but said the process would move quickly.

“Now, there's nothing to block the petition, so we will proceed,” he said.

The unfair labor practice charge, filed with the NLRB in Los Angeles on Aug. 22, followed five unfair labor practice allegations filed by the union against the News-Press.

Newsroom employees have complained that News-Press owner Wendy McCaw, her co-publisher and fiancé Arthur von Wiesenberger and then-acting publisher Travis Armstrong participated in unethical behavior that has undermined the balance, fairness and integrity of the news-gathering process. Seven senior editors, a long-time columnist, several reporters and other staff members have quit since early July.

Samantha Yale can be reached at 739-2159 or syale@santamariatimes.com.

Aug. 31, 2006