Post Trial Echoes Writer's Strike Issues

In a case that echoes the issues driving the current writer's strike in Los Angeles and New York City, a grueling 7-day trial against the Washington Post ended last Monday. The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild challenged the Post when the publishing giant required employees to do work for now-defunct Washington Post Radio without additional compensation. The key issue in the writer's strike is payment for work in new and emerging media. Early this year, the Guild filed a similar complaint when The Post refused to negotiate with the Guild over the terms of work for The Onion satiric newspaper, which The Post had begun to publish and sell ads for. After an extensive investigation, the General Counsel of the NLRB concluded that The Post had indeed repeatedly violated federal labor law by refusing to bargain and by withholding information requested by the Guild in connection with Washington Post Radio and The Onion. That decision meant that the government would prosecute the case against The Post. Although Post Radio no longer exists, the Guild says that the principles at the heart of this case - that Post management is legally required to negotiate with the Guild when substantial changes are made to Guild-covered employees work - are more important than ever. A ruling on the case by the presiding administrative law judge is expected in the spring. - reported by Rick Ehrmann