Active and retired members are urged to help support GCIU locals in Dayton, Ohio, and Atlanta, Ga., in their struggle to get fair first contracts from Cox-owned newspapers at rallies in both cities on May 18.

Midwest Newspaper 128N Vice Pres. Donnie Russell said all GCIU members are invited to participate in the rallies. He said management of the Dayton Daily News "still absolutely refuses to bargain."

Local 128N organized 150 workers in the mailroom at the Dayton Daily News, while Atlanta 527S organized a group of 100 maintenance and mailroom workers at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In Dayton, management demanded wage cutbacks that would decrease journeymen's wages by 2 percent a year for five years, as well as attacks on health insurance and other benefits and working conditions. The company also has refused to agree to the union security, overtime, and arbitration provisions that the company signed off on in the press unit's contract.

Russell said a hearing before an administrative law judge has been scheduled for June 15 on five unfair labor practice charges. Russell said the "solid" charges include two incidents last year of the company's implementation of health insurance premium increases, two incidents of the company's implementation of mandatory direct deposit for payroll, and failure to bargain.

Russell said the local's subscription and advertiser campaigns are getting strong support from the AFL-CIO, Communications Workers of America, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, International Union of Electrical Workers, and the Teamsters, as well as other unions.

Both the Dayton and Atlanta rallies will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 18. The Dayton rally will be held at the Dayton Daily News building at 45 South Ludlow Street. The Atlanta rally will be at the Journal-Constitution building downtown at 72 Marietta NW.

Photo courtesy Midwest Newspaper 128N

Retiring Midwest Newspaper 128N Pres. Robert J. Bryan swears in new local officers. At bottom from left are Fred Wilburn, Mike Rockey, Vice Pres. Tony Rapp, Gary Patterson, and Buddy Hoffsered. At top from left are Rick Many, Joe Peyton, Vice Pres. Donnie Russell, Pres. Bill Miller, Vice Pres. Phil Schick, Rick McLarron, Willie Long, Secy.-Treas. Dave Parsley, Vice Pres. Tommy White, and Jon Baute.