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For Immediate Release: December 31, 2007

GREED IS IN STYLE AT THE WASHINGTON POST
New ad campaign targets The Washington Post’s unfair treatment of production workers

Washington D.C. - The Communications Workers of America Local 14201 today unveiled a new advertising campaign targeting The Washington Post that exposes the newspaper’s unfair treatment of its production workers in contract negotiations. The production workers—the employees who prepare the paper for delivery and are the last link in the newspaper production line—have been bogged down in negotiations with The Washington Post for over four years and have not received a raise in over five years.

“We’ve been asking for the opportunity to sit down and negotiate a decent contract for our workers for the past four years and the Post continues to stonewall us. With this ad campaign, we want the public to hear our side of the story,” said CWA Vice President Bill Boarman.

The month-long ad campaign will blanket Metro Center and Farragut North Metro rail stations. In addition, advertisements will run on local radio, in print, on city buses and on a mobile billboard. 

“Last year, The Washington Post reported a profit of $324.5 million and handed out millions in executive compensation.  Despite this, our workers continue to receive nothing. No raises. No parity. No help on health care.” added Mark Pullium, President of CWA 14201.

Production employees work mainly nights, weekends and holidays—times when most other people are home with their families. The key issue stalling negotiations is the pension plan; The Washington Post is unwilling to negotiate with the union until the paper has the right to withdraw from the plan. Currently, workers are enrolled in a national pension plan administered jointly by a board of employer and union trustees. The Washington Post is seeking to not only withdraw from that plan, but also have the unilateral right to decide what to do with the money—money that belongs to the workers. The money in the plan has been diverted from the workers pay raises over the last 30 years. 

“Through the ad campaign, we are asking people to help us speak up against this injustice and tell The Washington Post that the public expects better of them,” said Boarman. “Call the Post, write them or send an email to the ombudsman. We just want to be treated with fairness and respect.”

Local 14201 currently covers about 400 employees at The Washington Post. For more information, please visit www.WashingtonPostUnfair.com

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