Posts tagged newspaper
Organized Labor’s Violent Privilege: The Supreme Court Loophole Shielding Union Officials from Prosecution
May 27, 2026 // Under federal precedent, they can often destroy property, assault workers, threaten communities, and even commit murder with reduced risk of serious prosecution — as long as the acts advance “legitimate union objectives” such as higher wages or work rules. This extraordinary immunity stems primarily from the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 ruling in United States v. Emmons, which gutted key provisions of the Hobbs Act. Combined with practical limitations in the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), it has created a regime where violence during labor disputes is frequently treated differently under the law. The Emmons Decision: A Judicial Loophole In United States v. Emmons, 410 U.S. 396 (1973), three IBEW members were indicted for firing high-powered rifles at utility transformers, draining oil from equipment, and blowing up a substation during a strike. The Supreme Court held that such violence did not constitute “wrongful” extortion under the Hobbs Act (18 U.S.C. § 1951) because the union had a “claim of right” to pursue legitimate bargaining goals.
Columbus Dispatch, Newark Advocate journalists vote to unionize
February 10, 2026 // “For too long, Ohio’s greatest home newspaper has hemorrhaged great journalists due to short-sighted cuts by our corporate owner,” Dispatch news reporter Jordan Laird said in a statement. “Now, we’re taking some power back.” The Dispatch has undergone serious staff cuts in the six years following a merger between GateHouse Media and Gannett. In 2019, the paper had more than 90 people across all departments. Dispatch journalists said there are now less than 40 non-management employees in the newsroom.
Star-Tribune Packing to Iowa, Costing Minnesota Jobs
September 14, 2025 // Most print papers are facing tough times anyway. With Unions making demands impossible to meet and make a profit, papers have to make tough decisions.