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TOLEDO, Ohio (AFX) - Locked-out newspaper unions began asking customers Friday not to patronize businesses that advertise in The Blade, adding to the workers' calls for advertising and subscriber boycotts.
The workers handed out fliers at an appliance store and will target a different business each day, said Ron Garcia, president of the local Graphic Communications International Union.
Earlier in the contract dispute, the unions asked advertisers to boycott the newspaper and readers to cancel their subscriptions. The newspaper said about 3,000 subscribers have canceled and a few advertisers have pulled out. The union said Friday there have been 10,000 cancellations and that dozens of businesses have promised not to advertise in the paper.
Blade spokeswoman Luann Sharp said the request for a boycott of advertisers was shortsighted. "It's unfair to include other businesses in our labor problems," she said. "You're asking all those businesses to take an economic hit."
Most of The Blade's labor contracts expired in March. One agreement has been reached. No talks are scheduled.
The two sides disagree on a proposed management rights clause that would give administrators more flexibility to control staffing levels, layoffs and mandatory overtime shifts. The unions believe it would allow the paper to cut jobs. No agreements have been reached on wages and benefits.
About 200 workers -- a third of The Blade's union employees -- have been locked out at the newspaper and replaced by temporary workers. They include engravers, drivers, workers who process advertisements and mailers who assemble the papers.
Larry Vellequette, a spokesman for the Toledo Council of Newspaper Unions, said the unions will target the customer boycott against the paper's biggest advertisers.
In addition, fliers will be handed out at Toledo-area auto plants to union workers, asking them not to buy vehicles at auto dealers still advertising in The Blade. There are about 60,000 active and retired members of the United Auto Workers in the area.
About 20 percent of workers in the city, home to a Jeep assembly plant, are union members.
The Blade, owned by Block Communications Inc., has a daily circulation of 135,000 and 180,000 on Sundays. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
Copyright 2006 AFX News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
