Strikers, supporters make their presence known on John Block’s block

Sunny skies and solidarity cries graced Post-Gazette publisher John Block’s home Saturday as union members gathered in Shadyside for the fifth day of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh’s strike against the Post-Gazette.

Post-Gazette workers were joined on Devonshire Street at noon by members of the CWA Local 13000, PSEA, PFT, SAG-AFTRA, the Allegheny County Green Party, University of Pittsburgh faculty, Pittsburgh Starbucks Workers United, the Labor Choir and more.

On Oct. 6, Post-Gazette employees in mailing, print, distribution and advertising departments walked off the job after being stripped of their health insurance. Almost two weeks later, journalists and other newsroom workers joined the strike to demand a fair contract.

“We’re fighting to get these workers their healthcare back. We’re fighting to get our contract back. We’re fighting to get back to the bargaining table,” Guild President Zack Tanner said to picketers.

“We’re standing here in front of publisher John Block’s house today because he hasn’t given us those demands so we’re out here fighting, fighting for a relatively easy list of demands that this company, this family and this corporation won’t give us, the workers who make the Post-Gazette,” Tanner said.

Though the neighborhood was busy with shouts demanding fair contracts and supportive honks from passing cars, notable labor supporter Mike Stout and the Labor Choir also led the crowd in a series of union- and labor-related songs.

Among those who spoke Saturday afternoon was Solomon Gustavo, a feature writer who joined the strike on day three.

“I was afraid when this whole thing started,” Gustavo said. “Life as a scab, you wake up and look at yourself in the mirror knowing that your coworkers are out here [and] they’re looking to improve things for you and I just felt like I needed to come out here, as well.”

Similar to Gustavo, Tanisha Thomas, a digital content producer, said she initially crossed the picket line because she was afraid and confused.

“I just felt guilty,” Thomas said. “Some of these people out on the line, they were my first friends when I moved to Pittsburgh and so it just felt right to be out here with them. Growing up, one of my favorite rock bands was Rage Against the Machine, so who would I be if I wasn’t raging against the machine?”

Midway through the rally, attendees marched up and down Devonshire Street to deliver at neighboring residences and under the windshield wipers of parked cars informational flyers about the strike and an upcoming fundraiser event.

Jon Schleuss, NewsGuild-CWA president, told picketers that the NewsGuild is one of the fastest-growing unions in the country with more than 8,000 workers joining over the past five years.

“Journalists are organizing more unions right now and they’re doing it because they love their work,” Schleuss said. “We want to hold power to account. We want to call out corruption. We want to save democracy.”

“That’s our job, to amplify the stories and all the production workers — folks who work in advertising, the mailers, the typos, the Teamsters, the press workers, the drivers — they amplify that story too,” he said. “It all comes from a place of love and that is a power that can’t be fought. When we come from a place of love, we cannot lose.”

Near the end of the rally, Natalie Duleba and Ed Blazina stepped over a colorful collection of sidewalk chalk messages proclaiming “Shame” and “Pay your workers, not attorneys” to tape a letter of demands signed by striking union members on the front door of Block’s three-story house.

“I want to wake up and read the Post-Gazette,” Rick Grejda, a business agent with SEIU Local 668, said. “I want my Post-Gazette back.

“Labor’s with you guys,” he emphasized. “We’re going to be here today, we’re going to be here tomorrow and we’ll be with you until we get a contract that protects your healthcare and gives you a raise.”