Dozens of fellow union members and staffers from across the country joined local supporters and striking journalists outside the Shadyside home of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette publisher John Block Tuesday evening.
Many in the rally came from the Communications Workers of America Convention that had just wrapped up Downtown.
Block did not come out to talk to the contingent, several of whom spoke in support of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh journalists who on Monday will hit the two-year, 10-month mark in their unfair labor practices strike against the newspaper.
The National Labor Relations Board’s federal case on behalf of the journalists, which the company has appealed, goes to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals’ chief circuit mediator, who is to meet with both sides by phone on Aug. 21.
The strikers, meanwhile, got a huge lift from all the solidarity and support they received from the visiting fellow NewsGuild and CWA members and staffers, who generously gave them tens of thousands of dollars, including by buying piles of a brand-new design of Pittsburgh Union Progress T-shirt (more are being made). One of the resolutions passed at the CWA convention gives the strikers and others on strike a $100-a-week bump in strike benefits, the Pittsburgh journalists’ first across-the-board raise since 2006.
Click through the slideshow below:
Post-Gazette striking workers and their supporters rally outside of publisher John Block’s house in Shadyside on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Some supporters rode a bus from the CWA convention at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center to Devonshire Street to participate in the rally. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Helen Fallon, a copy editor on strike, speaks with supporters on Devonshire Street before the start of a rally. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Post-Gazette striking workers and supporters gather on Devonshire Street before walking down to publisher John Block’s house. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Post-Gazette striking workers and supporters prepare to walk down Devonshire Street to rally in front of publisher John Block’s house. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Rallygoers walk down Devonshire Street toward the home of John Block. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Strike supporters shout in the direction of John Block’s house. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Emily Matthews, a striking Post-Gazette worker, speaks to the crowd of supporters at the rally. (Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
CWA President Claude Cummings speaks during a rally outside of Post-Gazette publisher John Block’s house. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
CWA District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis speaks and leads the group in signaling a message to John Block outside Block’s home in Shadyside. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Journalist and strike supporter Abigail Hakas speaks in front of John Block’s house. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Post-Gazette striking workers and supporters sing with the Pittsburgh Labor Choir. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Allie Petonic leads the crowd in singing a union song to the tune of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Jennifer Abruzzo speaks during a rally outside of Post-Gazette publisher John Block’s house. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Zack Tanner, president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, speaks during the rally. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Striking Post-Gazette workers Ed Blazina, Zack Tanner and Emily Matthews walk to the front door of Post-Gazette publisher John Block’s house to request that he speak to them during Tuesday’s rally in Shadyside. (Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Striking Post-Gazette workers and supporters walk to the front door of Post-Gazette publisher John Block’s house to request that he speak to them, as a crowd of supporters watches from the sidewalk. (Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Ed Blazina and Emily Matthews, striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers, wait outside of Post-Gazette publisher John Block’s front door in the hopes that he would agree to speak to them. (Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Post-Gazette striking workers and supporters, including NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss and CWA President Claude Cummings, stand outside the house of Post-Gazette publisher John Block and wait for him to answer the door after a few striking workers rang his doorbell. Block did not answer. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
A supporter holds up a strike solidarity sign during the rally. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
Striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers and supporters rally in front of Post-Gazette publisher John Block’s house in Shadyside. (Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss gives a thumbs-down after Pittsburgh Post-Gazette publisher John Block did not come out of his house to speak with striking workers. (Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Union Progress) 
A Post-Gazette strike solidarity sign covers a security camera on a tree in front of publisher John Block’s house. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)
The PUP is the publication of the striking workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
