People picketed the offices of the Mountain Xpress last week. They were allegedly led by former reporter, David Forbes, who had been terminated. Early reports named attempts to unionize workers as the cause of dismissal, as if one were needed. Publisher Jeff Fobes cited damaging commentary and disloyal acts, not attempts to unionize, as the cause. Other employees said the publisher had allowed recruitment by unions on the premises in the past. Assistant Office Manager Lisa Watters observed:
Of all the people picketing outside our offices Friday I only saw four past employees; two who were let go years ago and two from the past year. Mostly I saw folks I had never laid eyes on before who were purportedly standing up for my rights as a worker even though I had not asked them to or been asked. It was surreal to say the least. I am pro-union when that’s what most of the workers want but I don’t believe that is the case here.
