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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 15, 1999
Unions urge Albertans to cancel newspaper subscriptions
EDMONTON – The leaders of some of Alberta’s largest unions are calling on Albertans to cancel their subscriptions to the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Journal and the National Post as a demonstration of support for striking workers at the Calgary Herald. The three papers have been targeted because they all belong to the Southam chain of newspapers, which is owned by notorious media mogul, Conrad Black. Unions in both the public and private sectors say they will encourage their members to stop buying all Southam newspapers until a settlement is reached at the Calgary Herald. "The tactics being employed by Conrad Black in the Herald dispute are not only an attack on the basic rights of workers to unionize, they are also an attack on the integrity and independence of journalists," says Audrey Cormack, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. "Albertans should not allow this absentee media baron to bully his employees and undermine the quality one of Alberta’s finest newspapers. That’s why we’re asking people to cancel their subscription. It’s time for Albertans to send a strong message to Conrad Black." The decision to target subscribers to the Herald, Journal and Post was made today at a meeting of the Alberta Workers’ Rights Action Committee (AWRAC). AWRAC is a coalition of all major unions in the province - meetings are called by the AFL in order to organize broad union support for striking workers. In addition to calling for action on subscriptions, union leaders attending the AWRAC meeting also committed themselves to additional picket line and financial support for the Herald strikers. "Conrad Black needs to hear from all Albertans," says Cormack. "We must make it clear to him that the Herald workers are not standing alone. We must also make it clear that there is a price to be paid for his anti-worker, union-busting tactics."
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