Alameda Newspapers, Inc. v. City of Oakland, Northern California Newspaper Guild, Local 52, Newspaper Guild, Intervenor-Appellant

REINHARDT, Circuit Judge:

Today we decide whether preemption law compels a City, against its wishes, to patronize a newspaper company embroiled in a bitter and divisive labor dispute with its employees. Our answer is that it does not. Specifically, we hold that the City of Oakland may determine as a matter of principle not to do business with Alameda Newspapers, Inc. during the course of a labor boycott, and that the City Council may suggest that the residents of Oakland do likewise. Although a City cannot regulate in an area governed by federal labor law or that Congress intended to be…