October 25 - Strike at NY Daily News

Labor History in 2:00

On this day in Labor History the year was 1990.

That was the day that eight of the ten unions at the New York Daily News went out on strike.

The paper had had one of the highest daily circulations in the United States.

The New York Daily News was owned by the Chicago-based Tribune Company.

The strike began when management demanded major concessions from the delivery drivers, essentially forcing them to strike.

Seven more unions joined them on the picket line.

In retaliation management brought in scab labor.

This caused a ninth union to join the walkout.

The Newspaper Guild workers had planned to honor the picket lines, but not go on strike themselves.

But according in an article in the Los Angeles Times, “said local Guild President Barry Lipton, the editorial employees decided almost immediately at an afternoon meeting to go on strike rather than to work with any “imported scabs and goons.”

Well known journalist Juan Gonzalez, was a strike leader for the local.

By using replacement workers, Daily News management was able to keep the paper in production.

But they found it much more difficult to get the paper distributed.

Even where they could make delivery, many newsstands refused to sell the struck paper.

The New York Times blamed this on intimidation from delivery drivers.

But they also acknowledged that some refused distribution “either out of sympathy for strikers or an unwillingness to offend pro-union customers.”

To support the strike, the unions put on a concert headlined by Lou Reed, along with Pete Seeger, Q-Tip from a Tribe Called Quest and other musicians.

The strike lasted for five months, prompting the Tribune to sell the paper.

Under new management the strike was finally settled.