The Communications Workers of America union has started an advertising campaign in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area against The Washington Post. The union represents about 400 employees of the newspaper, known as mailroom workers, who work in the printing plants, assembling the newspapers. The article states that "The workers have not had a raise in over five years and have gone four years without a contract, according to the union." The union has paid for this campaign, which includes print, radio, and billboard messages. The billboard messages have been posted in two separate Metro stations, and print versions will be run in The Washington Post, and also in the free tabloid Express. All of the ads have sentences or phrases, which include a section name from the newspaper in them, like, Style, Business, and one even includes the name of the chairman and chief executive of The Washington Post Company. The ads also give the address to a web-site set up by the the union: washingtonpostunfair.com.
I think that this is a great way of getting a point across, and letting the public know what is going on behind the closed doors of some very large companies. T.V. and radio ads are great ways to do this, but putting up these billboards in TWO separate Metro stations is genius. (Here is a link to view the ads being posted - Ads) If you're unfamiliar with Metro, it is the Washington D.C, Maryland, and Virginia equivalent of the New York subway, but runs above ground as well as under. If this union picked the right two stations to post these ads, they have the chance of them being seen by thousands of people a day, most of which are probably holding today's Washington Post in their hand as they're reading the ad. This makes me think, why am I paying money to this company everyday to read their newspaper, when they won't even give raises to the people who assemble the paper?
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5 comments:
I agree, the Washington Post is being unfair to the employees of the printing press. Union workers of all types of big companies should be treated fairly by giving contracts, raises, bonuses, and other little things to make the morale of these union workers on the upbeat side.
Many union workers from other companies have done similar things in the passed and have accomplished and overcome these companies. The Washington Post employees will do the same.
Kudos to the Communication Workers of America for fighting back in a way the newspaper can understand. These people give the most support to the well-oiled newspaper machine and need to be supplemented for their success.
It would be a little more understanding if this were a small-town community newspaper, but it is not.
I once heard it said that one can judge the integrity of a business by the treatment of the employees; from janitors to V.P.s, fairness should be present.
Obviously, The Washington Post is not familiar with that sentiment.
Yes, the employees should be treated better by the Washington Post. The newspaper doesn't go out alone by just reporters and writers but countless numbers of people helping an issue go out. And if it weren't for the printers the story's wouldn't be read by anyone but the newspapers staff. Fairness should be for everyone.
I'm a strong supporter of unions and think that they should be treated fairly. Its important for unions to stand up for their rights and I'm happy to see that these people did.
The Communications Workers of America are essential to the Washington Post and every worker should have equal rights.
The rights of the unseen worker usually go unnoticed. So, its good to know that the Communication Workers of America are speaking out.
The use of advertising can help people with a message get it out to the masses. The Washington Post better shape up or ship out.
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