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Union-Tribune Loses Lawsuit Over Classification of Newspaper Carriers

A San Diego Superior Court judge awarded newspaper carriers from the San Diego Union-Tribune $4.95 million in a class-action lawsuit.

Lawyers for the carriers alleged they should have been classified as employees rather than independent contractors.

The court awarded the Santa Ana law firm that brought the suit, Callahan & Blaine, $6.16 million in attorneys’ fees on Jan. 21. Some $1.25 million will come out of the award to the class. The Union-Tribune was ordered to pay the balance.

The suit covered 1,235 class members who delivered newspapers between Jan. 29, 2005 and July 1, 2007.

Judge John S. Meyer heard the case, Espejo v. The Copley Press Inc.

Callahan & Blaine said in a statement that the discovery process for the case took two years and cost millions of dollars.

The law firm pursued a similar suit against the Orange County Register in 2009, getting a $38 million settlement. Cases against the Sacramento Bee and the Fresno Bee are in process.

SDBJ Staff Report

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