Workers file complaint and ask for injunction against The Honolulu Advertiser

Last week, four members and shop stewards of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) employed by the Honolulu Advertiser filed a complaint in Circuit Court to protect their rights and those of their co-employees in the ILWU bargaining unit related to the Dislocated Workers Act.

They alleged that employees were not given lawful notice of their termination resulting from the sale of The Honolulu Advertiser, specifically the 60-day notice required under Section 394B-9 of the Dislocated Workers Act, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

In the complaint the four employees—Patrick “Rick” DeCosta, Lance Kamada, Lorin Okamura, and Todd Yamane—asked for damages and also asked the court to issue an injunction to enjoin Gannett from terminating employees until 60 days after Gannett issues a valid 60-day notice which employees are entitled to under the law.

The four employees filed a motion for a TRO and preliminary injunction earlier this week with the court. Judge Rom A. Trader decided not to issue a TRO but is holding a hearing on a preliminary injunction at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 9.

The complaint was filed because on and after March 9, Gannett Pacific Corporation informed its employees at the Honolulu Advertiser that the paper had been sold to Oahu Publications Inc. and their last day of work could be as soon as April 12, 2010 but no later than April 30, 2010.