Natalie Duleba, a striking Post-Gazette news designer and digital news editor, sends an email update each night to the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh’s membership.
Often, the first thing she talks about is who donated the day’s pizza — and there is almost always pizza.
“When you are on the line, you will be fed, that’s for sure,” she writes.
That might be an understatement. When you’re on the line, you may even be overfed. That’s because unions across the country, as well as supporters closer to home, are chipping in to keep Post-Gazette strikers fed.
And the result of their generosity is having ripple effects. On days when the amount of pizza — or tacos, or subs — is too much for picketers to eat, members are driving extras to those in need.
It’s a cycle of solidarity.
Fuel for the fight
It’s also a cycle of pizza.
People have been showing their support for striking workers in a lot of ways, but pizza has been one that’s particularly popular.
Strikers have recently enjoyed pizzas donated by other unions: the Buffalo Newspaper Guild, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 5, and the Media Guild of the West, which represents media workers in Southern California, Arizona and Texas.
And even more pizzas have come from supporters in the community. Several pies that included a pickle pizza arrived from Voodoo Brewing, the Post-Gazette’s new beer bar neighbor. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., had his arms full with piping hot boxes from Pizza Hut when he arrived at the picket line Monday.
Breakfast has been covered, too. Spotlight PA chipped in to keep Post-Gazette workers caffeinated twice, with big deliveries from Dunkin’. Other coffee deliveries came from the Newspaper Guild of Detroit, SAG-AFTRA and a supportive Chatham University student. The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers sent breakfast sandwiches. When state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta was in town from Philly, he brought coffee and doughnuts, too.
Chris Deluzio, the Democratic candidate running to represent Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District, brought cookies and pastries. “Most Original” goes to current U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon, who brought spinach-stuffed pita bread from Brookline’s Pitaland.
The Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh sent snacks and hand warmers. United Museum Workers sent cookies. NABET-CWA Local 58028, of Erie, provided snacks and water.
All donations were welcomed by picketers, who stand for hours in what is often rough weather. But “Best in Show” might go to the NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia, which sent cheesesteaks.
Passing it on
On a recent day when so many supporters sent pizza that several full pies were still untouched, Guild President Zack Tanner said, “No one’s leaving here without a pizza.”
But it’s hard to eat an extra-large pizza, especially if you don’t have a large family to feed and are outside the house on the picket line half the time anyway.
The second time it happened, striking reporter Ed Blazina wasn’t about to take another full pizza to languish in his fridge. He had a better idea. He and other picketers were standing around talking about what to do with that day’s leftovers when he remembered that he passes by Light of Life Rescue Mission on his way home.
“There’s no reason not to take good food to people who need it,” he said.
Since then, Blazina has been transporting leftovers at the end of each day’s picket. The mission, located on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, is a shelter for local homeless and also feeds the hungry with homes via daily meals.
Blazina occasionally has had to rush pizzas to the shelter to get them there in time for the 5 p.m. call time for dinner. Even on nights they come in later, though, he said the mission has been “very” appreciative.
Thursday, the strike’s 10th day, might be the mission’s first day since last week it didn’t get a pizza. But it’s not for a lack of food — in place of pies that day were sub sandwiches, donated from the Newspaper Guild of Detroit.
Noelle is a business reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but she's currently on strike.