Labor Board Says Strike Is Newspapers’ Fault

The National Labor Relations Board alleged Thursday that the strike against Detroit’s two newspapers was the result of management’s unfair labor practices. If the ruling is upheld, striking workers would be entitled to their jobs back when the dispute is settled.

NLRB regional director William C. Schaub Jr. also threatened to issue a complaint against Detroit Newspapers, the agency that runs business operations for The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press, for bargaining in bad faith with Detroit Typographical Union Local 18, one of the six unions that have been on strike since July 13.

The NLRB has lodged two previous complaints during the strike: One charges management unlawfully broke an agreement it would bargain jointly with the unions on economic issues; the other alleges The Newspaper Guild local refused to bargain on a company proposal offering alternatives to overtime.

Hearings before an administrative law judge are pending on the complaints.

About 18 unfair labor practices charges have been filed by management and unions - most by the unions - since 2,500 workers walked off their jobs at the Gannett Co. Inc.-owned News and Knight-Ridder Inc.’s Free Press.

“We were surprised that the labor board would take this position before all of the union charges have even been investigated,” Frank Vega, president and chief executive of Detroit Newspapers, said in a statement.