Trapeni v. Department of Employment Security

In a case of first impression we are called upon to construe the labor dispute disqualification provision, 21 V.S.A. § 1344 (a) (4), and the voluntary leave disqualification provision, 21 V.S.A. § 1344(a) (2) (A), of the Unemployment Compensation Act. This dispute arises from the granting of unemployment benefits to striking workers of the Herald Association, Inc., publisher of the Rutland Daily Herald (hereinafter the Herald). In spite of the strike, the Herald was able to publish its newspaper on a daily basis with no substantial curtailment of its operations.

The case involves 21 claimants,…