FW: Restraining Restraint: Union Wins Free Speech Victory [labouruk]

Bruce Robinson bruce.rob at btinternet.com
Sun Apr 30 05:54:22 PDT 2000


-----Original Message----- From: Action Jackson [SMTP:unionyesman at netscape.net] Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2000 5:00 AM To: LabourUK Subject: Restraining Restraint: Union Wins Free Speech Victory [labouruk]

LabourUK - http://www.labourstart.org/uk/

PRESS RELEASE

April 26, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Taryn Gerhardt, Communications Director (206) 328-7321 ext. 118, Ray Goforth, Union Rep. (206) 328-7321 ext. 105, goforth at ifpte17.org

Restraining Restraint: King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng Responds to Deputy Prosecutor's Abuse of Power (Washington state, USA)

Responding to union pressure and a worldwide cyber campaign for justice, King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng recently issued a directive that would require deputy prosecutors to seek special approval before filing protective (gag) orders.

The directive also reminds deputy prosecutors that all King County courtrooms and administrative hearings are open to all citizens. Exceptions must be approved in advance with Maleng, the April 20 policy states.

The policy was created after King County Deputy Prosecutor Diane Hess-Taylor attempted to bar the public from an Unfair Labor Practice hearing held on March 30-31 and sought a gag order to stop the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 17 (Seattle) from contacting media and human rights activists about case.

The Unfair Labor Practice charge and subsequent hearing was initiated by Local 17 and is part of an ongoing battle with the county over union-busting tactics at King County Department of Development & Environmental Services.

The union used the internet to alert union and human rights activists from around the world about what was occurring. They responded to the attempted censorship and the assault on civil rights by flooding King County officials with more than 2000 e-mails asking them to deal with the issue fairly. Hess-Taylor rescinded the gag order on February 25 without comment.

The Coalition of County Unions also stepped in to urge Maleng to take action. That coalition is composed of all the labor unions which represent King County employees. It sent letters to Maleng asking for a formal repudiation of the attempted gag order and the response was the April 20 policy directive.

Local 17 is delighted that Prosecutor Maleng has taken the appropriate steps in response to this abuse of power by one of his deputies. The attempt to close the hearing and the sought after gag order had no basis in law--it was just a blatant attempt to intimidate and harass the union, IFPTE Local 17 Union Representative Ray Goforth said.

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