Per an informational newsletter from AFL-CIO of Champaign County, some union employees from the News-Gazette are losing their jobs — ones outsourced to Peoria. While this might not come as a surprise to most based on the current publishing climate in print — the employees are staging a picket in front of the N-G building in Downtown Champaign in order “to get greater community awareness about the situation and hopefully get a fair severance.”
Check it out:
Recently, a member from Teamsters Local 568M, Graphic Communications Conference, came and spoke at the AFL-CIO meeting about how the News Gazette is outsourcing their jobs to Peoria, and they are all losing their jobs. Some of these workers have been there for decades, and at this time they are seeking a severance package that appropriately acknowledges their years of loyal and dedicated service. Local 568M is holding an informational picket on Saturday April 29, 2017 from 10am-2pm in front of the News Gazette at 15 Main St. in Champaign. They asked if we could support them by getting people out to their informational picket. Their goal is to get greater community awareness about the situation and hopefully get a fair severance.
As a related bonus, this is just down the street from the Black Dog Smoke & Ale House Champaign location. Friday April 28 – Sunday April 30 is Union Weekend at Black Dog in Champaign. In order to say “Thank You!” to Black Dog for building this location with 100% Union labor, we want to give them our business. Tell your server that you are a union member and would like to be entered into the raffle for a chance to win a $50 Black Dog gift certificate. So hit up the picket, then go get some BBQ!
Thanks for your time,
Kevin Farrell
Treasurer
AFL-CIO of Champaign County
CFT Local 1925
