The union local representing more
than 325 truck drivers and other employees for The Inquirer on Sunday declared
its support for the two newspaper co-owners seeking to reinstate fired editor
William K. Marimow.
During its monthly meeting in
Bridesburg, Teamsters Local 628 president John P. Laigaie said the owners,
Lewis Katz and H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest, would preserve the editorial integrity
of the paper.
Lenfest received a standing
ovation when he entered the union hall. He told members that co-owner George E.
Norcross III supported Marimow's ouster to get editorial control of The
Inquirer. Laigaie said: "No one is going to buy the newspaper if they
think Norcross is dominating the newspaper."
Dan Fee, a spokesman for Norcross
and three partners in parent company Interstate General Media, said Norcross is
not trying to control the newsroom. He said the Teamsters "weren't told
the truth about Mr. Katz and Lenfest's threats to liquidate the company if they
didn't get union concessions."
A lawsuit brought by Katz and
Lenfest against publisher Robert J. Hall, Norcross, and the others to reinstate
Marimow is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday in Philadelphia Common Pleas
Court.
Source: Philly.com
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