The strike daily, Dec. 21: Pittsburgh Union Progress reaches 1,000 subscribers; striking workers plan holiday party

Striking workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette celebrated the news Wednesday that their strike publication, the Pittsburgh Union Progress, has surpassed the 1,000-subscriber mark.

The PUP was unveiled on Oct. 20, the third day of newsroom workers’ strike against the PG. Newsroom workers walked out on Oct. 18, joining distribution, production and advertising workers who began a strike on Oct. 6.

Since its inception, the PUP has expanded to include not only news about the strike but also community news — ranging from politics and crime to transportation and the environment — and sports news.

Tonight we celebrate the first 1,000 subscriptions to @thePUPNews. It's so encouraging to see so many people flock to the striking worker-run coverage of this community we strive to serve.

Will you help us get to our next 1,000?https://t.co/YYDdeppXJ0 pic.twitter.com/qat3FxijBG

— Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh 🗞 (@PGHGuild) December 22, 2022

On Wednesday, PUP editors, reporters and photographers got together for another “story club” meeting at strike headquarters in the United Steelworkers building. Those journalists discussed some past projects that they had each struggled with and brainstormed ideas on future improvements.

The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh plans to use strike HQ to host a holiday party for striking workers Thursday. Workers will enjoy food and drink, plus one another’s company, before a long weekend expected to be quiet on the strike front.

Those events followed yet another bargaining session on Tuesday rendered fruitless by the Post-Gazette’s bad-faith bargaining and its union-busting lawyer, Richard Lowe. Lowe has rejected all proposals brought by the guild to end the strike while making no counteroffers.

During a lunch break in bargaining, striking workers rallied with some of their allies from labor unions, political circles and the community.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey also tweeted his support and said he would join workers’ solidarity pledge to not talk to the Post-Gazette until the strike ends.

This means that until strikers’ demands are met, I will NOT be speaking with the @PittsburghPG. I will, however, gladly speak with the striking worker-run @thePUPNews — which I encourage you to subscribe to today.https://t.co/Uy7ZD3y5Od

— Mayor Ed Gainey (@MayorEdGainey) December 20, 2022

Gainey was represented at Tuesday’s rally by Maria Montaño, his press secretary, who spoke in support of workers and also joined the pledge.

I am proud to take the pledge and stand in solidarity with the Post Gazette Workers on Strike. We will not provide comment or give interviews with the Post Gazette until workers demands are met we will gladly offer those opportunities to the union news reporters with @ThePUPNews https://t.co/sp0oZrPISC pic.twitter.com/QxmptFz4hF

— Maria Montaño (@TheMariaMontano) December 20, 2022

Gainey and Montaño joined hundreds who have pledged the same:

• To refuse to speak to the Post-Gazette until striking workers’ demands are met.
• To speak with the striking worker-run Pittsburgh Union Progress instead.
• To ask their community to join them in canceling their Post-Gazette subscriptions until the strike ends.
• To urge folks to subscribe to the Union Progress.