Petition seeks to bring attention to possible retaliatory layoffs

The controversy concerning layoffs of Northern California Media Workers Guild leaders at the Contra Costa Times we posted about in July has resulted in an online petition calling for fair labor practices, with the intention of presenting it to management of the Bay Area News Group on Wednesday.

According to the petition, 20 of the 29 employees laid off at the Times were highly active in union organizing, including Sara Steffens, who was chosen to negotiate the new union's contract.

The layoffs are under review by the National Labor Relations Board.