Striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalists met Wednesday — the 44th day of the newsroom workers’ strike — to discuss future projects for their strike publication, the Pittsburgh Union Progress.
A group of editors, reporters and photographers dubbed PUP’s “story club” brainstormed articles ideas and other plans for the Union Progress in Downtown Pittsburgh.
PUP editor Bob Batz Jr. was joined by reporters Hallie Lauer, Tanisha Thomas and Hannah Wyman; editors Karen Carlin, Steve Mellon, Helen Fallon and Randy Stoernell; photographer Alexandra Wimley; and interactive designer Zack Tanner.
Meanwhile, a handful of other striking workers took to social media to further boost PUP by replying to or quote-tweeting the PG’s account.
The workers are asking the public to read the PUP, and not the PG, until the strike ends. Hundreds of readers have subscribed for free to PUP while pledging to return to the PG when striking workers’ demands are met.
Out on the picket line Wednesday, striking workers from the newsroom and from the PG’s distribution, production and advertising departments bundled themselves up against high winds and cold temperatures. The gusty winds pushed some nearby porta-johns across the street and toppled over a decorative bush outside a North Shore Drive bar, but picketers kept moving or huddled up to stay warm.
Outreach to PG parent company CEO Allan Block also continued, with PG workers and their allies calling Block and requesting that his representatives bargain in good faith and end the strikes.
Distribution, production and advertising workers have been on strike for nearly two full months. Newsroom workers followed them several days later.
The workers and the company are scheduled to meet Dec. 6 for their third negotiation session since the strikes began in October. The first two sessions yielded no progress, as PG representatives rebuffed attempts to bargain in good faith and continued to offer the same contract that the unions declined in 2020.
Alex is a digital news editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike.
