'Wash Post' Reports On Anti-'Post' Union Campaign

By: Joe Strupp It's not everyday a newspaper writes about a campaign against itself. But The Washington Post did just that Thursday, reporting on a new effort by Post production workers who have been without a contract for five years to publicize their fight against management.

Although the story was back on Page D04, it still included the headline, "Post Targeted by Ad Campaign," told readers where anti-Post billboards could be found, and even linked to an anti-management Web site.

All that was missing was a reprinted "Boycott the Post" cutout sign.

"The union representing about 400 post-production workers at The Washington Post launched a month-long advertising campaign against the company this week, seeking to jump-start stalled contract talks and get its members their first raise in five years," the story began. "The campaign includes radio and television ads and billboards on buses and at the Metro Center and Farragut North Metro stations. Some of the print ads use the names of the newspaper's sections to help get their point across. For example: 'Some employees are going on five years without a raise. Is kicking workers around a SPORT at the Post?' 'OUTLOOK not good for Post workers looking for fair wages.'"

"All we want is a fair contract," Hunter Phillips, the administrative director and lead negotiator for the District-based Communications Workers of America, which represents workers, told the Post. "We want The Post to sit down with us and bargain in good faith, which we don't believe they have done. They have pretty much given us a take-it-or-leave-it offer."

Phillips told the paper that contract negotiations that began in early 2004 had stalled because The Post insists "on contract language to withdraw from the union's pension plan."

A Post spokesman said the company had worked hard to reach a new contract with the CWA. "The Post offered the union, over three years ago, a comprehensive contract proposal that included wage increases for all mailroom employees and more secure retirement alternatives to a union pension plan that in recent years has been underfunded and has reduced members' future benefits," Rima Calderon, The Post Co.'s senior director for communications, said in the story.

"The union has chosen a public relations campaign rather than negotiations at the bargaining table to address the pension issue, which has prevented mailroom employees from receiving wage increases and better retirement security," Calderon added.

The story also mentioned the union's claim that "The Post reported a profit of $324.5 million in 2006 and 'handed out millions in executive compensation. Despite this, our workers continue to receive nothing. No raises. No parity. No help on health care.'"

Calderon explained in the story that the $324.5 million represented profit for The Washington Post Company, with the newspaper division, where the production employees work, responsible for $63.4 million.

The story added that mailroom workers at The Post had not had a salary increase since May 2002 and currently earn $12.71 to $26.15 per hour.