The strike daily Nov. 11: Picketing in the cold November rain

The spirits of the striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers weren’t dampened in the slightest Friday, despite the rainy weather.

A record-high 2.36 inches of rain fell in Pittsburgh on Friday, according to the National Weather Service — far above the previous record of 0.72 inches on Nov. 11, 1983.

But that didn’t matter on the picket line.

Dressed in their best rain jackets and boots and equipped with golf umbrellas, striking PG workers stuck together on the picket line at the end of the fourth week of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh’s strike.

The strikers indulged in some fast food for lunch: Taco Bell, courtesy of Post-Gazette unit chair Andrew Goldstein.

Additionally, they continued to enjoy snacks and baked goods dropped off Thursday by Ron Seibel, interim president of the Toledo NewsGuild, on behalf of that guild.

The Toledo NewsGuild represents workers at the Blade of Toledo, Ohio — the PG’s sister paper and the only other newspaper owned by Block Communications Inc.

The Toledo guild is putting final touches on its plan to pass out leaflets about the PG strike on Saturday at Toledo’s annual holiday parade, of which the Blade is a major sponsor.

Meanwhile, news of the strike has continued to spread.

A Friday article in The Guardian details the strike, the striking workers’ efforts to ensure its success, and details about the Pittsburgh Union Progress.

And former Post-Gazette journalist Kim Lyons wrote an article for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star about the strong support that many Pennsylvania politicians have shown for the strike.

The article notes that U.S. Rep.-elect Chris Deluzio’s campaign declined to comment to a Post-Gazette worker who is crossing the picket line, while U.S. Sen.-elect John Fetterman declined to meet with the PG’s editorial board to seek its endorsement. (The PG’s editorial board, which is separate from the rest of the newsroom, endorsed Fetterman’s opponent.)

Guild members also spent Friday finalizing plans to return to the bargaining table with PG representatives. The first negotiations session between the two sides in more than two years is scheduled for Monday morning.

Supporters of the guild will gather at 9 a.m. Monday in Mellon Square, near the site of the negotiations, set to begin at 10 a.m. at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh.