Is 'Washington Post' Web Strike Working?

By: Joe Strupp Members of The Newspaper Guild at The Washington Post, who held a two-day byline strike earlier this month to highlight an ongoing contract dispute, are now being urged not to do extra work for the newspaper's Web site, union leaders said.

The job action, which began June 13 and is continuing indefinitely, is another way for workers to protest what union leaders say is management's refusal to provide "a decent contract."

"We are trying to keep up the pressure," said Ann Gerhardt, vice chair of the Guild's editorial unit. "The Web site is an important part of the editorial content. It allows us to have a far-wider reach beyond where the paper is circulated."

But one Post editor said the protest is having little impact on the site's content, claiming that few people are taking part. "I think the majority of them are still writing [for the Web]," said Tom Wilkinson, an assistant managing editor. "We are not keeping track of each one, but most of the requests for people to write Web stories are being honored."

Gerhardt disagreed, saying she had noticed more Web stories without bylines and with wire-service credits. "Particularly on foreign coverage," she claimed.

The newspaper's Web site posts every story from the print edition. Under the paper's policy, print staff writers are not required to write additional material for the Web site, according to Gerhardt.

But editorial employees are often asked to provide Web-only stories and update stories on the Web that have appeared in the print edition when necessary. All requests are optional and provide no additional income to writers, Gerhardt said.

Those who write only for the Web site or who have specific contracts for additional Web material are not being asked to participate in the protest.

The Guild's local represents more than 1,400 editorial and commercial employees at the Post, who have been working without a contract since the last one expired May 18. The next bargaining session is scheduled for June 26.

Gerhardt said the contract dispute centers around three major issues: raises, vacation use, and Guild membership. She said the newspaper has offered raises of 1% to 3.7% over the last two years of the contract, along with an $1,100 lump sum payment, while the Guild wants 3% raises each year.

The newspaper also wants to require employees to use all vacation time within the year it is earned, while the union wants to allow workers to carry vacation time from year to year. Finally, the Post wants Guild members to be able to drop out of the union at anytime, while the Guild wants to keep its once-a-year resignation policy.