Post-Gazette Strikers Send Company Return-to-Work Offer

Having won all their October of 2022 strike demands - thru the courts - strikers ready to get back to PG

PITTSBURGH, Penn. - Striking workers of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PG) sent their return-to-work offer to the company on Monday, heralding the end of the longest-running strike in the United States. They offered to return to work at the PG's North Shore office on the morning of Monday, Nov. 24, and asked the company to inform strikers if they are being asked to report at a different time or place.

One week ago, the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the PG to restore the terms of the 2014-17 contract that the paper illegally, unilaterally discarded in July of 2020, including the health care plan, some workers' paid time off, the short-term disability plan, and the right to fight discipline from managers, among other collectively bargained workplace rights. The health care plan the company imposed effectively cut workers' wages by thousands of dollars each year as the PG dumped costs onto its employees.

Members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh (TNG-CWA Local 38061) struck on Oct. 18, 2022, demanding the restoration of the 2014-17 contract terms and dignified health care.

"The wheels of justice move nowhere near quickly enough. But it's clear that our sacrifice has made this day and the soon-to-be improved working conditions at the Post-Gazette possible. Every single step of the way, we have told the company and decision-makers within it that this is what would happen," said striking education reporter and Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh president Andrew Goldstein. "They could've saved so much money and trouble by listening to us then. It's certainly time for them to listen to us now, comply with the order, and get down to bargaining a new contract with the old contract in place."

Unlike with the many previous rulings against the PG's years-long union-busting campaign, the 3rd Circuit Court's order is backed by enforcement powers that include the ability to have non-compliant owners and managers detained as well as daily multiplying fines. The PG has stated its intent to appeal the ruling. But the court-ordered amount of compensation to workers - including those currently working at the PG - grows every day.

Strikers voted on making the return-to-work offer last Thursday with 84 percent voting in favor.

When workers vote to end an unfair labor practice strike and make the kind of return-to-work offer given to the Post-Gazette on Monday, the struck employer has five days to make arrangements to bring the strikers back. If on the sixth day the company has not returned strikers to work, it begins to owe them pay and the cost of the benefits under which they would be working.

In this case, that liability will ultimately be the wages and benefits of the contract terms striking workers won.

Throughout the three-year strike, neighbors, union members, and supporters of the workers near and far have provided invaluable support by rallying with strikers, standing on picket lines, and directly confronting PG managers and owners for a fair settlement. Many have provided financial support -donating more than $1 million - and boycotted the struck paper.

Workers themselves have continued to publish their own coverage of Pittsburgh and beyond as the Pittsburgh Union Progress.

"While the Post-Gazette has spent the last several years tarnishing the paper's reputation with the community it claims to serve, we have been able to restore and foster connections with Pittsburghers whose stories are often overlooked," said striking copy editor and Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh first vice president Erin Hebert. "We look forward to returning to our jobs, uniting around a common goal of serving our community with strong union journalism, and working through whatever challenges we will face when we are back inside."

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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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