On Tuesday, the 15th day of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh’s strike against the Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh City Council solidified its support for the all the striking workers in their efforts to win a fair contract.
City Council on Tuesday morning issued a “will of council” — essentially, a nonbinding resolution — in which members criticized Post-Gazette ownership and management and backed the strikers.
“The Council of the City of Pittsburgh condemns the actions of the owners and management of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for choosing profits over the needs of their workers,” the resolution reads in part.
The resolution also notes that City Council stands in solidarity with the striking workers of the Post-Gazette, which includes newsroom, distribution, production and advertising workers.
And it calls on the Post-Gazette’s owner, Block Communications Inc., to “recognize the value of their workers, end unfair labor practices, bargain in good faith and fashion a collective bargaining agreement now.”
The resolution was led by Councilman Bruce Kraus and co-sponsored by the eight other members of council: Bobby Wilson, Theresa Kail-Smith, Anthony Coghill, R. Daniel Lavelle, Deb Gross, Erika Strassburger and the Rev. Ricky Burgess.
Early Tuesday afternoon, Kraus delivered a copy of the resolution to striking workers picketing outside the Post-Gazette’s North Shore newsroom.
He noted that Pittsburgh “is a union town and always will be,” mirroring language from the resolution: “Pittsburgh has always been a union town and the City of Pittsburgh will always stand with union workers.”
Kraus reiterated to the striking PG workers that council stands in full support of the fight for a fair contract.
He pledged to place calls to John Robinson Block and Allan Block — the twin brothers who serve as the PG’s publisher and the chairman of Block Communications Inc., respectively — to urge them to reach a deal with the union and end the strike.
Before departing, Kraus donned a “No PG without me” button and took back a bag with more to distribute to his colleagues on City Council.
Alex is a digital news editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike.
