U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Dec. 22 granted an emergency application by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s owners to delay a ruling from a federal appeals court panel that would send them back to the bargaining table with union employees.
Alito granted a stay on the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals’ Nov. 10 injunction order.
In the November ruling, a three-judge panel on the 3rd Circuit Court found the Post-Gazette bargained in bad faith while trying to agree on a new contract. The court’s decision enforced a Sept. 24, 2024, ruling in favor of the union by the National Labor Relations Board.
Members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh celebrated the 3rd Circuit ruling and returned to the Post-Gazette offices to report to work on Nov. 24.
At the time of the Nov. 10 decision, the Post-Gazette said it would appeal to the full 3rd Circuit court. After that appeal was not accepted, the Post-Gazette made an emergency application to the Supreme Court on Dec. 18.
Alito serves as the circuit justice for the 3rd Circuit, meaning he is the justice designated to hear emergency applications regarding that court.
Post-Gazette officials argue the 3rd Circuit panel’s ruling broke with long-standing precedent from the D.C. Circuit Court, particularly in the way judges identified that bargaining was done in bad faith on the Post-Gazette’s part.
Alito ordered that a response to the Post-Gazette’s application be filed by Jan. 5, 2026.
