Layoffs at El Diario; NLRB sets trial date against impreMedia

Four people were laid off and two others took voluntary buyouts at New York’s El Diario La Prensa, following a December company memo indicating the need “to continue restructuring to reduce expenses and create sustainable businesses.”

One newsroom and one sales staffer took the buyouts offered by impreMedia. Six others, including a photographer, another newsroom employee, three people from sales and one from accounting, were among the layoffs.

The National Labor Relations Board has set February 10 for an administrative trial against ImpreMedia, El Diario’s parent company.

In June of last year, The Newspaper Guild of New York filed charges against impreMedia that it improperly fired seven veteran journalists and other employees. The NLRB’s regional director found merit in the charges and issued a complaint in late December against impreMedia.

In a letter dated November 24, 2014, the NLRB’s director for the region that includes Brooklyn and Long Island found merit in the following charges:

• impreMedia illegally terminated seven Guild-represented employees.
• impreMedia altered the Guild’s jurisdiction by assigning work to nonunion employees, refusing them union representation.
• impreMedia violated the union contract and the terms of a May 9, 2014 NLRB settlement agreement.