NLRB to File Charge Against Greyhound

The National Labor Relations Board said today that it will file an unfair labor practice complaint against Greyhound Bus Lines and seek a nationwide injunction barring misconduct by the union in its 11-week-old strike.

“The (NLRB’s) general counsel has concluded that certain allegations (by the unions) are best resolved by the board based on record evidence presented to an administrative law judge,” the labor agency said in a statement.

The board said the complaint against Greyhound will allege that the company “implemented certain bargaining proposals prior to reaching impasse.”

“The complaint will also allege that the current strike is an unfair labor practice strike,” the statement read.

If sustained, the complaint will protect the jobs and seniority of the 9,300 workers currently on strike against Greyhound.

The Amalgamated Council of Greyhound Local Unions has been on strike against the company since March 2.

Violence has often marred the strike, including more than a score of shooting incidents on highways. A picketing driver in Redding, Calif., was killed early in the strike when a bus driven by a replacement driver hit him.

Both sides filed charges with the NLRB.

The NLRB said the unfair labor charges will be filed in Milwaukee.

Greyhound, in a statement issued in Dallas, said it is “confident we will prevail” in the hearing but will appeal “all the way” to the Supreme Court if necessary.

“Meanwhile,” said P. Anthony Lannie, Greyhound vice president, “there is no change in the basic issues.” He said the union has “demanded far more than the company could afford” and “the replacement drivers we have hired have permanent jobs.”

The union also called the NLRB decision to file the complaint against the company “a positive development.”

In the statement issued Tuesday, the NLRB said that, in addition to filing the unfair labor practice charge against the bus line, the agency’s general counsel will also allege that the “union engaged in various acts of violence, mass picketing and other picket line misconduct.”