Friday marked the fourth day of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh’s strike against the Post-Gazette, and striking workers received good news on several fronts.
As the day began, the journalists on strike resumed doing what they do best: telling stories.
The Pittsburgh Union Progress, the strike publication of the Guild, officially went live Friday morning with coverage of strike and labor news written, edited, photographed and produced by several of the strikers.
Support for the Union Progress — or PUP for short — grew rapidly upon launch. The publication’s Twitter and Instagram profiles racked up a combined 700 followers by Friday night.
Meanwhile, the CWA Pittsburgh Striker Fund — where community members can chip in to help striking PG workers make ends meet — surpassed $23,000 in donations within its first 24 hours.
And new faces arrived on the picket line for the third straight day as more and more PG workers decide to walk out.
On Friday, the strikers once again were fed well by their fellow unions and journalists.
SAG-AFTRA and its Ohio-Pittsburgh local’s executive director, Brian Lysell, sent coffee and sandwiches from Dunkin’.
Snacks and candy arrived courtesy of the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh and its secretary, Chrissy Suttles.
Several boxes of pizza from the Erie Newspaper Guild (TNG-CWA Local 38187) provided strikers with a hearty lunch.
And former Guild photographer and photo editor Joyce Mendelsohn dropped to donate some snacks and visit with her old colleagues.
Striking Guild members also finalized plans to rally outside PG Publisher John Robinson Block’s Shadyside mansion on Saturday afternoon while continuing their outreach across the PG newsroom and the community.
Alex is a digital news editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike.
Amazing coverage. Thank you.
Thank you!