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Picketing Mailers Greet Post Shareholders
Turning up the heat on the Washington Post, area newspaper unions picketed outside the annual shareholders' meeting to draw attention to the paper's refusal to bargain fairly with 400 mailers and helpers represented by CWA.
More than 100 members of the CWA Printing Sector, The Newspaper Guild-CWA, IUE-CWA and the Operating Engineers, most wearing red shirts, paraded at the entrance to the Post building as shareholders arrived for the May 13 meeting.
"Many of the shareholders had to cross our picket line, and I'm sure it was very uncomfortable for them," said Bill Boarman, president of the Printing Sector.
"I think that many of the people inside that building support our fight," he said, referring to the paper's unionized employees. "The Post is unfair to them, too. We can't allow (Publisher) Don Graham to break the unions down."
Mailers Local 14201 President John McInerney said that after 10 months, Post Labor Relations Vice President Patricia Dunn refused to make any changes in the company's written contract proposal to keep utility mailers - mostly African-Americans - at a pay rate far below the journeyman mailer rate.
TNG-CWA President Linda Foley, who joined the picketing, said all the newspaper unions are solidly behind the mailers and helpers, who have been working without a contract since May 19, 2003.
"The Post treats all its unions in the same manner," Foley said. "They dismiss our concerns and bargain with no intention of reaching a fair contract."
More than 100 members of the CWA Printing Sector, The Newspaper Guild-CWA, IUE-CWA and the Operating Engineers, most wearing red shirts, paraded at the entrance to the Post building as shareholders arrived for the May 13 meeting.
"Many of the shareholders had to cross our picket line, and I'm sure it was very uncomfortable for them," said Bill Boarman, president of the Printing Sector.
"I think that many of the people inside that building support our fight," he said, referring to the paper's unionized employees. "The Post is unfair to them, too. We can't allow (Publisher) Don Graham to break the unions down."
Mailers Local 14201 President John McInerney said that after 10 months, Post Labor Relations Vice President Patricia Dunn refused to make any changes in the company's written contract proposal to keep utility mailers - mostly African-Americans - at a pay rate far below the journeyman mailer rate.
TNG-CWA President Linda Foley, who joined the picketing, said all the newspaper unions are solidly behind the mailers and helpers, who have been working without a contract since May 19, 2003.
"The Post treats all its unions in the same manner," Foley said. "They dismiss our concerns and bargain with no intention of reaching a fair contract."