PITTSBURGH, Pa. – On Thursday, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced that it is seeking an injunction pursuant to Section 10(j) of the National Labor Relations Act against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for dozens of ongoing unfair labor practice violations of federal law, 18 months after workers struck to compel the newspaper to follow the law and provide health insurance to workers.
In October 2022, Post-Gazette management unilaterally cut off the health care of its production, advertising, and distribution workers by refusing to pay a $19-per-week increase in health care costs. The workers, represented by CWA, PPPWU, and Teamsters local unions, went on strike on Oct. 6.
The Post-Gazette had already violated federal labor law with respect to its newsroom editorial workers—members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh-CWA—in July of 2020, when it declared an illegal end to bargaining and unilaterally imposed new working conditions. Those imposed terms included a health care plan with costs that increased for families by as much as $13,000 per year, the loss of a week of vacation, the loss of protection from layoffs, and degraded work jurisdiction—essentially undermining union workers’ right to their job duties. A federal administrative law judge in January 2023 ruled that Post-Gazette management didn’t negotiate in good faith, illegally imposed working conditions, and unlawfully surveilled workers engaged in union activities.
“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, 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 NLRB encourages parties to resolve cases by settlement rather than litigation whenever possible, and more than 90% of meritorious unfair labor practice cases are settled by agreement at some point in the process, according to the NLRB. Post-Gazette representatives, however, have repeatedly rejected basic settlements. They have also refused to bargain in good faith, a violation of federal law.
“It’s great that the NLRB is seeking an injunction against Post-Gazette management for repeatedly breaking federal law,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “Employers cannot be allowed to actively harm workers. The Post-Gazette could settle this and limit their liability at any time. The NewsGuild-CWA will continue to fight for journalists and media workers in Pittsburgh and across the continent.”
Post-Gazette management has hired police and private security to intimidate and threaten strikers.
“I’ve had my life and safety directly threatened by the PG’s hired ‘security’ on numerous occasions during the strike,” said Andrew Goldstein, striking education reporter and Post-Gazette unit chair of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh. “Months ago, a couple of these ‘security’ contractors hired by the PG—seething my name—tried to follow me into a gas station bathroom after a picket. I look forward to labor law actually being enforced, both for my safety and the work I want to get back to doing with a hell of a lot more dignity at the paper I’ve read as long as I could read.”
“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,” said Mike Davis, Vice President of CWA District 2-13. “It is unfortunate that the Post-Gazette’s continued unlawful violation of workers’ rights has undermined the rule of law and forced the government to seek an injunction to achieve justice.”
Supporters can donate to the strikers and subscribe to the striking-worker run publication, the Pittsburgh Union Progress, at unionprogress.com.
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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.
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