A radio advertisement released Wednesday calls out the ownership of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and urges the community to support the workers who are on strike.
The ad, released by the Communications Workers of America — it represents Pittsburgh Post-Gazette mailers, typographers and journalists on strike — features the stories of a few striking workers.
“We help our neighbors stay informed, day in and day out, but we haven’t had a raise in 15 years,” says James “Hutchie” VanLandingham, a Post-Gazette mailer, in the ad. “And the owners of the paper, Block Communications, illegally cut our health care.
“We deserve better. We deserve respect.”
VanLandingham is a third-generation Post-Gazette worker whose father and grandfather preceded him at the paper.
“Please keep our strike strong and show the millionaire Block family we’re not alone. If you subscribe to the paper, cancel your subscription. If you read stories online, don’t visit the site until the strike is resolved,” he says in the ad.
CWA also released a video of a few strikers sharing their stories.
On Wednesday evening, striking PG workers joined supporters from the community at Bottlerocket Social Hall in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood for a fundraiser event.
The event featured live music from Kenny Stockard, Chet Vincent and Andre Costello & Forestry Division; DJs from Jellyfish; food from Forma Pasta; and a special cocktail from Kingfly Spirits.
All proceeds from the fundraiser directly support the CWA Pittsburgh Striker Fund, which is helping to support striking workers and their families with financial hardships.
Meanwhile, an injunction was issued Tuesday by a Butler County judge limiting picketing activities at the printing facility of the Butler Eagle, which is printing the Post-Gazette despite the strike.
The injunction only applies to picketing at the Eagle facility; it does not apply to any of the Post-Gazette’s facilities or any other location. Picketing is expected to continue as normal outside the PG newsroom on the North Shore and the PG printing facility in Clinton.
Butler Eagle pickets are now limited to one side of the street and to 10 picketers, all of whom must keep moving.
Alex is a digital news editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike.
