From: ae547@yfn.ysu.edu (Ronda Hauben)
Subject: Eyewitness Account of Press Strike in Pittsburgh
Reply-To: ae547@yfn.ysu.edu (Ronda Hauben)
Organization: St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown, OH
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:47:32 GMT



Following is an article from Shawn who can be reached at the following
email address: 
S462075D@vax.edinboro.edu (Legalize Cuban Cigars!!!!)
 
He asked me to post this for him: 
 
Here it comes, my sideline view of the press strike. 
And warn people my account may be inactive after about Dec. 20 until mid
Jan.
 
Shawn
 
 
 
The following is a more-or-less eyewitness account of the attempt by the
Pittsburgh Press to use replacement drivers.  It took place in a Xerox
warehouse that was sub-leasing space to the Press.  I don't remember the
exact dates, except that they were in August.
 
 
Before the storm:
 
I had been working at the warehouse since late July.  Xerox was moving it to
Cincinanti.  The workers were represented by the United Steelworkers.  Us 
temporaries were brought in to help move things out.  
 
After about a week and a half, the news said the Press would hire replacements.
Brought in from Boston, they were being paid $15/hr + room + board.  Security
guards would ride shotgun.  They were in rental cars, with easy to spot Ohio
plates.  All this was on the news.  Late Thursday we were warned that they
would be distributing from unused warehouse space where we were working!
 
Friday:  All's quiet.  The natural worries about crossing a picket line
         surface.  Being nonumion temporaries puts my work crew right in
         the middle.  All workers, permanant and temporary alike are warned
         to not risk life and limb coming to work.  
 
Monday:  Scab paper goes into production.  Two police cars guard the plant
         gates.  It is not known if the Teamsters know about this distribution
         point.  Scant news coverage.  With most workers, including myself,
         being either former union members, or having family union members,
         and being tired of the way labor has been treated in the city watching
         helplessly, rental cars and Press trucks enter and exit all morning.
 
         Word around the warehouse is that all hell is breaking loose at
         Press headquarters in town.  The story makes short national attention.
         Curiously, the Judge in charge doesn't issue the automatic limitation
         of pickets.
 
Tuesday: The day all hell breaks loose!
 
         4:45 A.M. I enter the warehouse parking lot.  Since its still dark, and
                   I am looking left to turn, I don't notice the Teamsters
                   across the street.  But many folks do.  Several police cars
                   and local media.
 
         6:45 A.M. Its first break, and light out.  All kinds of excitement
                   on the line.   I cross the street to get
                   coffee at a little convience store.  Security, which is 
                   already high because the warehouse is closing, is fanned
                   out around the parking lot.  Most temporaries do not stand
                   with the strikers just yet.  Being young and in college,
                   we keep our distance for now, what with all the tension
                   between temps/perm employees to begin with  I watch the
                   hustle and bustle along the highway.  I miss them shaking
                   a rental car and blocking traffic.
 
                   Talking with some security guards, it is apparant they
                   will not stop anything major for the $6/hr they are
                   making.  But the combination of them and the 15 or so
                   police keep everyone on their own side of the street.
 
         7:00 A.M. Xerox employees trickle back to work.  Some tell the 
                   teamsters they will be back next break.  I am invited
                   to stand with them next break.  Most everone is on the
                   union's side.  One notable exception is a kid whose a 
                   journalism major who says "Its because of the union that 
                   the reporters are laid off."  Go figure.  Most everyone
                   else is totally with the union, though we talk of mistakes
                   some unions have made in the past, suggesting they need
                   to hire some business majors, etc.  But we 100% support
                   them.  Espically me and friend Doug.  Both our dad's
                   worked for the Port Authority, itself on strike just a
                   few months ago, and back to work by court order still
                   without a contrct.
 
         8:45 A.M. I get coffee and stand with the teamsters.  So do many
                   others.  In fact, so many do that we seem to outnumber
                   the teamsters 2-1.  Teamsters are very happy about this,
                   it looks good for the news.  The bus drivers honk to
                   show support (I mentioned their strike earlier).  So
                   do most truckers, and many cars.  Strikers (and us!)
                   yell "scab", etc.  
 
                   It is obvious the replacement drivers are under orders not
                   to cause any troubble, for as I cross the street, one
                   stops the car DEAD, and gives me the right of way.  I cross
                   her path as slowly as possible.  Every little bit helps!
 
                   (I'm told later that a bus driver stopped in front of
                   the gate and said he broke down, tying things up for a
                   while!).
 
 
         10:45     We come out for lunch to cheers and applause!  One of the
                   greatest feelings you can have!  More standing to show
                   support.
 
                   The picket leader thanks everyone.  Press trucks are
                   videotaping the line (flipping the bird to them) as they
                   pass.  The union counters by taping the trucks!
 
                   More police show up.  
 
                   More shouting.
 
                   They ask us to gather round for a live shot for the noon
                   news.  A rock was thrown at a car and someone went to 
                   the hospital.  The Union says its sticking to a "no
                   violence" policy.  The picket limitation order has
                   come down.  Police chief askes Teamsters to disperse, and
                   (with laughter) tells us to get back to work.
 
                   One replacement driver has a change of heart, and refuses
                   to exit the grounds!  One of our workers yells "You ought
                   to be asamed of yourself! as we walk back."     
 
        1:30 P.M.  Last break of the day.  Only a coupple pickets left.  We
                   go back to work for overtime.
 
        3:30       The day is over, and I go home.  Some houses have signs
                   saying "stop paper until end of strike"  BTW:  Many stores
                   did too!
 
        5:30       Local news has feature coverage.  Vivid scenes.  The man
                   with a HUGE "No Scab Paper" sign in his front yard.  Press
                   drivers sitting in front of the trucks.  Young paperboys
                   tossing papers back into the distribution site.  Smashed
                   windows and slashed tires on rental cars/press trucks.
 
                   The Press surrenders and returns to negotiations!
 
                   Nightline does a story on the strike, one of the most well
                   balanced ones I've ever seen.
 
                   Paralels are drawn with the Homestead strike of 100 years
                   earlier (almost to the month).
 
                             
Rest of week:      Back to normal.  Scab drivers trickle out.  Turns out some
                   "Presses" were published in Canada.  Deep scars.
                   
       
_/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_
|Shawn Duffy    Edinboro University of PA,     United States of America     | 
| s462075d@edinboro.edu/ A student in need of a job/Go Steelers-Cowher Power|
|               "We've upped our standards, so up yours."                   |
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
 
-- 
Ronda Hauben                    email address:ae547@yfn.ysu.edu
Amateur Computerist Newsletter              or
P.O. Box 4344                   rhauben@heartland.bradley.edu
Dearborn, MI 48126
Newsgroups: alt.amateur-comp,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,comp.misc