By: E&P Staff A labor dispute at The Blade in Toledo took another turn this weekend, five months after most employee-union contracts at the paper expired.
The newspaper company today locked out a bargaining unit that makes plates needed to print each day?s paper, according to an article on the Blade web site. Publishing of the paper is expected to go ahead.
?It isn?t an action we take lightly,? LuAnn Sharp, Blade spokeswoman, said in the story. ?It?s a signal of how serious we are to get fair contracts, and that we need them sooner than later,? she said. ?Hopefully, this will get the unions to come to the table more quickly.?
The nine members of a Graphics Communications local, affiliated with the Teamsters, are being notified today that they can not report to work until a new labor contract is signed, the article repoted. They are to be replaced by temporary workers -- but they were not fired and will return to jobs after an agreement is reached, said Sharp.
The action does not affect the other 500 or more unionized employees, who are expected to report to work, and it should not affect production of the daily paper, Sharp said.
The article concluded: "The newspaper and its eight unions have been negotiating since early this year. Contracts for seven of the unions expired in March. Only one union has agreed to a new contract, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 8.
"Both company and labor officials have complained about the lack of progress in negotiations, and both have acknowledged that the newspaper is not doing well financially.
"The Blade, owned by Block Communications Inc., has asked for wage cuts, a weekly contribution to health care costs, and other changes to save money and boost revenue. Union leaders have said they are willing to make some monetary sacrifices."
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