“Toledo Deserves Better” - The Toledo (Ohio) Blade NewsGuild Addresses Management’s Decision To ‘Cease’ Operations After Workers ‘Were Asked To Vote On A Contract That Would Have Amounted To Giving Their Work Away To Artificial Intelligence’
(TOLEDO, OHIO) - The Toledo Blade ended their Employees’ Labor Day Weekend with an e-mail announcing management would close the newspaper on December 31st if it is not sold by then.
Prior to the announcement, the company asked Union Employees to vote for a contract proposal that would have cut their severance in half, in addition to greenlighting giving away their work to Artificial Intelligence (AI), among other out-sourcing.
The Newspaper Employees voted that down by a tally of 46-to-25.
Union members’ objections were largely non-economical, which was reflected in Guild counter-proposals.
Following the vote, Blade Guild Members returned to the bargaining table offering yet another compromise.
Blade Features Writer and Toledo NewsGuild Bargaining Chair Lillian King said: “It’s disappointing Block Communications would rather shutter the paper than work toward an equitable contract. The company’s proposal would have axed seniority, halved severance for its most experienced Employees and allowed the outsourcing of all Guild work. All content at The Blade could be created or edited with Al, with no protections for Journalists or requirements to disclose Al usage to its readers. Signing that contract would have meant signing away our self-respect and with it, Toledo’s mandate for ethical journalism. After nearly (200) years of operating one of the Nation’s great newspapers, Toledo deserves better.”
In its attempts to pressure Workers into voting to cut their severance in half, Blade management also made clear that doing so would not necessarily keep the paper open, either.
“Blade Workers would welcome new ownership that shares our commitment to local news as well as to the people of Toledo and would look forward to working with any such prospective buyers,” Blade Outdoors Writer and Toledo NewsGuild President Mac Arnold said.
To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Statement from the Toledo NewsGuild on Block Communications’ decision to cease operations of The Blade | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA
CWA-Provided Photo.
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