U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan has ordered top Post-Gazette and Teamsters representatives to appear Thursday, Jan. 9 at 3 p.m. in Courtroom C on the Sixth Floor of the Federal Courthouse for a status conference on the Post-Gazette’s refusal to follow his court order of Nov. 27 that he reissued for clarity Dec. 27.

Attorney Joseph J. Pass, representing the Teamsters, has petitioned Judge Ranjan to find the Post-Gazette in contempt of court for not following his orders to fully reinstate 24 Teamsters who were discharged on Nov. 10 and 47 others who were reduced to part-time so the company could avoid paying for their health care benefits.

It is expected that Judge Ranjan will rule on the Teamsters’ petition (see below), which asks him to find the Post-Gazette in contempt; to order the company again to immediately follow his court order; and to impose fines on the Post-Gazette of $10,000 for the first day of non-compliance with his order, and thereafter an amount that would double every day of non-compliance.

Pass, Teamsters Local President Joe Molinero and officials of other unions who have been involved in protracted contract negotiations for nearly three years with the Post-Gazette will be available for interviews after the status conference.

Download the motion filings for this case