Striking workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette trained Thursday for upcoming actions while continuing to build up solidarity from the community.
While on the picket line, groups of striking workers attended sessions on how to effectively pass out leaflets and talk to strangers about the strike. The sessions were held in advance of two leafleting actions by newsroom workers represented by the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh.
Striking workers plan to pass out flyers about the strike Friday at the Market Square holiday market and Saturday in the Strip District.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Union Progress reporter Tanisha Thomas’ Wednesday article on the art of pierogi-making was featured by The Incline, a daily Pittsburgh newsletter.
And the guild’s strike solidarity pledge keeps accumulating signatures, with some notable names joining the party Thursday.
Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam and Pittsburgh Public Schools board member Devon Taliaferro added their names to the growing list of organizations, public figures and members of the community who have promised to support the Union Progress instead of the Post-Gazette until the strike is resolved.
Those who sign the pledge are also promising to ask their fellow community members to join them in canceling their PG subscriptions until the strike ends, and instead subscribe to the Union Progress.
Striking workers unveiled an initial list of pledge signers last week, and hundreds have already signed their names.
Newsroom workers at the PG have been on strike since Oct. 18, while distribution, production and advertising workers walked off the job in the early-morning hours of Oct. 6.
Striking workers are once again preparing to bargain with the company over an agreement to return to work. Three negotiation sessions between workers and the PG have failed to end the strike, as the company’s representatives have rejected all proposals brought by the guild.
“We are staying with our proposals, and we think they’re better,” the PG’s attorney, Richard Lowe of law firm King & Ballow, told the guild’s bargaining committee at the most recent session.
The fourth session since the strike began is scheduled for Tuesday.
Alex is a digital news editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike.
