FLICKR/PAUL SABLEMAN
Post-Dispatch staffers said no to Iowa-based Lee Enterprises.
The union representing workers at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch yesterday overwhelmingly rejected furloughs demanded by the daily's Iowa-based owner, Lee Enterprises.
Lee had asked workers at publications across the U.S. to take two weeks of unpaid vacation. With yesterday's vote, the St. Louis-based writers and ad sales staff who comprise the membership of the United Media Guild replied with a resounding "no."
The 48-11 rejection came at the urging of union leaders, who were frustrated that Lee had rejected its counterproposal without a counteroffer.
"Our members are aware that rejecting the furlough could create more layoff potential if the company decides to seek cost savings," said Guild President Jeff Gordon. "That's the reality. We can't ignore that. But the company was unwilling to offer any layoff protection in exchange for everybody giving money back."
At a Zoom meeting on Monday, Gordon said senior members made clear they'd acquiesce to the furloughs if it meant protecting the jobs of younger staffers. But nothing from Lee gave any assurance that would be the case.
Post-Dispatch spokeswoman Tracy Rouch said the company would not have comment at this time.
The Post-Dispatch has seen a flurry of cuts in recent months. It laid off its archivist and eliminated two open positions in January, and then laid off more than half of its prep sports staff in short order. Other resignations are now going unfilled, with a buyout for advertising staff, and last fall's cuts to the comics page — which reduced the Post-Dispatch's once-robust offerings to the same uniform set of 10 strips offered throughout the newspaper chain — drew major pushback.
Last month, unionized Lee workers in Buffalo similarly rejected the furlough request. Days later, Lee announced it was shutting down its printing press there, though it remains unclear whether the two things are related.
Gordon said St. Louis guild members — which include approximately 50 journalists and 30 advertising sales staffers — had previously agreed to furloughs during the pandemic, but that was in part because unemployment benefits were so excellent at the time. The lack of a safety net, along with frustration over the recent layoffs, changed the equation.
He also noted that managers unprotected by the union are already taking furloughs, while the highest paid managers got pay cuts that do not include additional time off.
"There's no reason to believe the cost-cutting will ever end at this point," Gordon said. "Lee has tried to maintain a good staffing level at the Post-Dispatch compared to other companies. They're not as bad as Gannett. But the trend is still the trend."
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