CWA leads caravan of union solidarity from West Virginia to Post-Gazette’s Findlay facility

The dark, overcast skies looked threatening, but the rain held off as a Union Solidarity Caravan led by Communications Workers of America traveled from West Virginia to show support for strikers from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The caravan left Charleston, W. Va., in the morning, made a few stops along the way to add more participants and arrived at about 12:45 p.m. at the Clinton Commerce Park in Findlay, which houses the Post-Gazette printing facility and other offices. Led by Elaine Harris, CWA international staff representative, District 2-13, the group joined other supporters who had driven separately and were already lined up along Sweeney Drive.

The contingent included representatives from the West Virginia AFL-CIO, the United Mine Workers of America and CWA locals. They brought cash and checks for the Pittsburgh strikers fund as well as water, snacks and rain ponchos. More than $4,000 came from such groups as the WVA AFL-CIO, Marion County Central Labor Council, Alliance for Retired Americans and UMWA along with individual donations, with the promise of more soon to come.

While thanking the supporters for the contributions on behalf of the strikers, PG mailers union President John Clark said it meant even more that “you came up to support us.”