By: Joe Strupp When byline strikes occur, editors often try to play them down. But today's apparent protest at the St. Paul Pioneer Press by the Newspaper Guild drew front-page attention by Editor Thomas Fladung.
He published a Page One editor's note to readers explaining today's byline strike at his paper. The note stated, in part: "We put names on our work so that you know who is responsible and who to contact with questions, criticism or ideas."
Fladung then published his e-mail and phone number for readers who want to respond to news articles that have no byline.
Guild members are withholding bylines as a protest over how recent layoffs were handled, claiming the company did not work with the union enough on a possible concession package to avoid the layoffs that affected 11 guild members.
The only bylines on Friday's front page were for stories from
The New York Times and The Washington Post. The two staff-written stories had no bylines.
Fladung's entire note is below:
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Dear readers: Some Pioneer Press journalists who belong to the newspaper Guild union have chosen to remove their names from their work in today's print editions and on twincities.com.
Removing the bylines and photo and graphics credits is the staffers' right under our collective bargaining agreement. They are doing this, they say, to express their dissatisfaction over recent events that ended in a layoff, which included newsroom personnel.
We put names on our work so that you know who is responsible and who to contact with questions, criticism or ideas. What about today?
As always, you can contact me at editor@pioneerpress.com or at XXX-XXX-XXX.
Thanks, Thom Fladung
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