The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed a motion with the 3rd Circuit Court to hold the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in civil contempt. This action follows the newspaper’s refusal to comply with a court order issued on March 24, which directed it to restore certain employee benefits.
Zack Tanner, president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, commented on the situation: “While NewsGuild workers pile up win after win, the Post-Gazette is continuing to defy federal law and play games with the court rather than give us what they owe us.” He further stated that their demands have been consistent over the years: “Restore our contract, including our health care, and stop breaking the law. The Blocks and their company could have avoided this mess entirely, and now they’re going to be forced to pay the price of their wrongdoing.”
The 3rd Circuit Court had previously rejected two appeals from the Post-Gazette on April 29. These appeals sought to overturn the March 24 order and deny improved health care access specifically to employees who crossed picket lines. Both attempts were dismissed without detailed responses from the court.
Editorial workers represented by the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh have been on strike since October 18, 2022. They are demanding that the Post-Gazette reinstate terms from a collectively bargained contract that was discarded in July 2020. Key issues include paid time off, short-term disability, wage scales, and health care.
In September 2024, the NLRB ordered the Post-Gazette to restore its previous contract from 2014-17, engage in good faith bargaining, compensate workers for illegal changes made to their health care and wages, and cease any unlawful surveillance of employees.
A separate panel of judges from the 3rd Circuit Court is set to hear oral arguments regarding full enforcement of this order on July 7 in Philadelphia.
