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Washington Post Bargaining Heads to Mediation
Gov. Parris Glendening, on his way to dedicate The Washington Post's new $230 million printing plant in College Park, Md., March 8, stopped to encourage TNG-CWA Local 35 members who demonstrated outside.
More than 1,300 reporters, editors, clerical, administrative and advertising workers employed by the largest, most influential and wealthiest newspaper in the national capital area have been working under an expired contract since Nov. 12 of last year.
"Obviously, we want the corporation to do well, but we have working people here who are trying to support a family," said Glendening. "Let me wish you well, that we get this resolved to everybody's satisfaction and that you get a fair and equitable contract."
Nearly 200 demonstrators from The Newspaper Guild and CWA locals briefly blocked the entrance to the state-of-the-art facility until asked to move by a Post security guard. Many were less circumspect than the governor in the words they chose.
"I heard on the way over here I could get a good deal on the `new' Post," said TNG Secretary-Treasurer Bernie Lunzer, referring to the Post's recent appearance make- over. "It seems we're still getting a raw deal from the old Post."
Local 35 Representative David Bates expressed disgust at the Post's investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in its printing plant. "The Post says it can't even invest a fraction of that amount in its human assets - the men and women who work here."
Other supporters at the rally included State AFL-CIO President Ed Mohler, Vice President Joselyn Williams, CWA District 2 Vice President Pete Catucci and activists from CWA Locals 2101, 2108, and 2222.
There has been little movement in bargaining since December, said Administrative Officer Dick Ramsey, who heads a Local 35 bargaining team comprising a dozen Post employees.
Despite after-tax profits of $353 million in the first nine months of last year, the Post has sought to virtually freeze wages, to reduce sick leave for long-term and older employees and to exclude about 60 employees from contract protection. Despite its stature in reporting on national affairs, top-minimum newsroom scales at the Post have fallen below those of nearly a dozen major metro dailies - 36 percent below top-minimums at the New York Times.
Ramsey said there has been no bargaining since late January.
"The Post's `final offer' was insufficient money and not up to the pattern established less than a year ago by the CWA Mailers union," Ramsey said.
Both sides were scheduled to sit down with a federal mediator on March 30.
More than 1,300 reporters, editors, clerical, administrative and advertising workers employed by the largest, most influential and wealthiest newspaper in the national capital area have been working under an expired contract since Nov. 12 of last year.
"Obviously, we want the corporation to do well, but we have working people here who are trying to support a family," said Glendening. "Let me wish you well, that we get this resolved to everybody's satisfaction and that you get a fair and equitable contract."
Nearly 200 demonstrators from The Newspaper Guild and CWA locals briefly blocked the entrance to the state-of-the-art facility until asked to move by a Post security guard. Many were less circumspect than the governor in the words they chose.
"I heard on the way over here I could get a good deal on the `new' Post," said TNG Secretary-Treasurer Bernie Lunzer, referring to the Post's recent appearance make- over. "It seems we're still getting a raw deal from the old Post."
Local 35 Representative David Bates expressed disgust at the Post's investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in its printing plant. "The Post says it can't even invest a fraction of that amount in its human assets - the men and women who work here."
Other supporters at the rally included State AFL-CIO President Ed Mohler, Vice President Joselyn Williams, CWA District 2 Vice President Pete Catucci and activists from CWA Locals 2101, 2108, and 2222.
There has been little movement in bargaining since December, said Administrative Officer Dick Ramsey, who heads a Local 35 bargaining team comprising a dozen Post employees.
Despite after-tax profits of $353 million in the first nine months of last year, the Post has sought to virtually freeze wages, to reduce sick leave for long-term and older employees and to exclude about 60 employees from contract protection. Despite its stature in reporting on national affairs, top-minimum newsroom scales at the Post have fallen below those of nearly a dozen major metro dailies - 36 percent below top-minimums at the New York Times.
Ramsey said there has been no bargaining since late January.
"The Post's `final offer' was insufficient money and not up to the pattern established less than a year ago by the CWA Mailers union," Ramsey said.
Both sides were scheduled to sit down with a federal mediator on March 30.