The ongoing legal battle between the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and its editorial workers reached the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently. The case centers on a September 2024 ruling from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which ordered the newspaper to reinstate a contract with its editorial workers that was unilaterally terminated in 2020. This contract included health care, paid time off, short-term disability, and arbitration rights.
Judges Chung, Restrepo, and Bibas are reviewing whether to enforce this order. If they do, the Post-Gazette will need to restore these terms and compensate workers for increased health care costs and other losses.
Contempt charges against the Post-Gazette were also discussed due to its refusal to comply with a previous court order mandating improved health care terms for bargaining unit employees. The paper had unsuccessfully appealed a March decision denying it the right to refuse certain benefits to picket line-crossing workers.
Jon Schleuss, International President of The NewsGuild-CWA, stated: “Yesterday Post-Gazette management showed up unprepared and once again asked to be rewarded for its delay tactics. Our members deserve swift justice and PG bosses need to face the consequences of their illegal behavior now.”
During oral arguments, a company attorney struggled with basic questions regarding his own arguments, contradicting previous filings. He incorrectly claimed that financial records had been shared with the Guild and debated whether a security guard’s actions constituted worker surveillance or personal video viewing—earning him criticism from one judge.
In contempt discussions, another PG attorney argued it was impossible for the paper to revert back to previously agreed-upon health care plans but failed to address if financially feasible under repeated questioning. A National Labor Relations Board attorney pointed out that while arguing in court against reverting plans, PG’s own reporting suggested otherwise.
Zack Tanner, president of Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh and striking interactive designer commented: “The Post-Gazette continued to disrespect workers and make a mockery of the legal system by bringing the same tired arguments —and even going as far as introducing new ones— that brought us here.” He emphasized justice is overdue given years of labor law violations by PG.
These disputes stem from July 2020 when PG declared an impasse in negotiations with the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh leading them into unilateral changes including higher family healthcare costs up by $13,000 annually along with other contractual terminations impacting seniority-based vacations among others without union oversight anymore.
Oral proceedings concluded confidentially beside judges’ bench involving all parties’ counsel representatives off-the-record concluding session notes until further notice awaited verdict announcements ahead next steps scheduled future date pending developments herein ongoing judiciary processes surrounding involved parties’ complex intertwined historical litigation backdrop context overall framework discussions parameters.
