The union representing the recently laid-off employees of Sports Illustrated is taking legal action against The Arena Group.
The SI Union and The NewsGuild of New York last week filed an unfair labor practice charge against The Arena Group, accusing the company of targeting employees for immediate termination because of their support for the union, engagement in union activities and engagement in other protected activities.
This all stems from the announcement on January 19 that every member of the SI Union would be laid off because of the revocation of Arena Group’s license to publish Sports Illustrated by Authentic Brands Group. Some were immediately terminated that day, others were given 90-day notice of impending termination.
“It’s clear that The Arena Group ownership is using an engineered dispute over the SI license as a cover to union-bust and unlawfully target our members,” NewsGuild of New York Susan DeCarava said. “Filing an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board is just the first step, as we continue to explore all options for our membership.”
Former Arena Group CEO Ross Levinsohn echoed DeCarava’s claims in his resignation letter.
“Today’s obliteration of Sports Illustrated’s storied newsroom and the union-busting tactics is the last straw,” Levinsohn said. “These actions and the inaction of this board are illegal, riddled with self-dealing, and will almost certainly lead to shareholder lawsuits. In my more than 30 years inside of public and private companies, I’ve never witnessed more negligence in my career.”
