After 18 Months on Strike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Strikers Find Hope for Injunctive Relief

Last week, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced that it is seeking an injunction in federal court against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for dozens of ongoing Unfair Labor Practice violations. Members of CWA Locals 14827 and 14842, the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh-CWA (TNG-CWA Local 38061), and PPWU have been on strike for 18 months in a fight to compel the newspaper to follow the law, bargain in good faith, and provide health insurance to workers.

The Post-Gazette has had the ability to settle the strike at any time, simply by complying with the law, as ordered by the courts, and through NLRB decisions. Since the newspaper has continued its lawless behavior, the injunction, if granted, could impose consequences and protect the rights of the workers.

“As striking workers, we’ve stood strong against Post-Gazette management and the Block family for the last 18 months as they’ve violated labor law and tried to ignore and break our unions,” said Zack Tanner, a striking interactive designer and president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh. “Today's signal that the NLRB will finally be seeking injunctive relief through the courts is validation that our fight is just and will be won in short order.”

The strikers have risked everything to hold the company to account, sacrificing 18 months of paychecks and facing harassment on their picket lines. Post-Gazette management has hired police and private security to intimidate and threaten strikers.

Supporters can donate to the strikers and subscribe to the striking-worker run publication, the Pittsburgh Union Progress, at UnionProgress.com/donate.

---

This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.