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Striking Vindy Workers Step Up Pressure as Talks Resume
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- With bargaining set to resume today between The Vindicator and the Youngstown Newspaper Guild, the union attempted to apply pressure last night to end the 115-day old strike by appealing to shoppers at six car dealers that advertise in the Mahoning Valley's largest daily newspaper.Leaflets were handed out to the shoppers as they left the dealerships, urging them not to buy automobiles from dealers who advertise in The Vindicator.The pressure tactic comes as the company gives every indication that it is hunkering in, in no hurry to return the 170 striking Guild members to the newspaper's payroll.In a phone interview with a reporter from WKBN-AM, Mark Brown, general manager of the Vindicator Printing Co., said the newspaper must run a leaner operation -- and his company's negotiators will make contract proposals today reflecting that goal."Well frankly, after eight straight years of losses, we feel we need to make some changes in our operations to get out of the red and to be more efficient," Brown said. "We're going to make some proposals to help us do that."Guild members voted twice, Dec. 8 and Feb. 6, to reject what the company termed its "best and final" contract offer.The last bargaining session took place Jan. 18, when the Guild made a counter proposal that the company refused to consider.Should The Vindicator come to the bargaining table today with less than the Guild already has rejected, "That would indicate the Vindy has no intention of trying to settle strike," said Anthony S. Markota, president of Local 34011 of The Newspaper Guild -- Communications Workers of America.Since the strike began Nov. 16, the Guild has asked car dealers to cease advertising in The Vindicator until the strike is resolved, but few have bowed to the union pressure."We're trying to convince the area merchants that advertising in the Vindy is only prolongoing the strike and it's hurting everyone, including The Vindicator," Markota said.The union is publishing its own newspaper, The Valley Voice. Some car dealers have placed ads in the strike paper but not the ones targeted for the leafletting.Last weekend the international president of The Newspaper Guild, Linda Foley, came to Youngstown to participate in a rally outside the newspaper's product plant.The labor battle that must be won is the battle in Youngstown, Foley vowed. "This struggle is front and center right now."Visit The Vindicator at www.vindy.comVisit The Valley Voice at www.valleyvoiceonline.com"