Title: Newspaper Guild. Local 64: Records
Inclusive Dates: 1934-1994

Creator:

• Newspaper Guild. Local 64 (Madison, Wis.)

Call Number: Mss 896; PH Mss 896; PH Mss 896 (5)

Quantity: 3.0 c.f. (8 archives boxes), 2 posters, 93 photographs, and 2 drawings

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records, mainly 1970-1979, of the Madison Newspaper Guild, established in 1934 as Local 64 of the American Newspaper Guild. The Guild at first represented employees of both the Wisconsin State Journal and the Capital Times and after 1947, just employees of the Capital Times. Records consist of correspondence with management and the American Newspaper Guild, incomplete minutes, photographs, administrative records, collective bargaining materials, grievance files, and files from the 1977-1979 strike which resulted in the local's demise. Included is information on the impact of technology; a 1974 grievance resulting from a management imposed ethics code; the 1977 strike's unity committee and the strike newspaper, the Madison Press Connection; efforts to organize employees at WIBA radio; and relations with the Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Association; and research material compiled by the Guild on Capital Times advertising rates and lineage and income as well as financial statements of the Capital Times and of Madison Newspapers, Inc., and its part-owner, Lee Enterprises. Correspondents include Irvin Kreisman, Elliott Maraniss, Miles McMillin, Robert Meloon, Cedric Parker, Matthew A. Pommer, George Stephenson,David Wagner, Diane Woodstock, and David Zweifel.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00896

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The Madison Newspaper Guild (MNG) was chartered in 1934, as Local No. 64 of the American Newspaper Guild (ANG), to represent reporters, photographers, copy editors, librarians, artists, and copy assistants at both the Wisconsin State Journal and the Capital Times.

Documentation relating to the Madison Newspaper Guild's early years is very sparse, and even as late as 1970 many of its activities are undocumented in the organizational records. Oral tradition suggests that the local was organized in 1934 in response to a newspaper column by Heywood Broun that called for a union to represent newspaper men and women. The Madison Guild was launched at an informal meeting at the home of Ernest L. Meyer, a Capital Times columnist who later worked for the New York Post. Among the newsmen present were Lawrence Fitzpatrick, D. D. Mich, later editorial director of Look; Cedric Parker, George R. Stephenson, and Morris Rubin. Parker later recalled that many who joined initially may have thought the guild was to be a professional organization, not a union. Improvements in benefits and working conditions were slow to come, although a contract was signed on September 14, 1934.

In 1947, citing the radicalism of the American Newspaper Guild, the Wisconsin State Journal employees ceased their affiliation and formed their own organization, the Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Association. The Madison Newspaper Guild continued to represent Capital Times employees, as well as staff members of United Press International and the Associated Press.

The decade of the 1970s was characterized by increasing guild activism and numerous grievances and confrontations with management. Some of the more notable cases involve the dismissal and subsequent reinstatement of sportswriter Francis “Bonnie” Ryan; the refusal of Dave Wagner to cross a MULO picket line to cover an opera; and a management-imposed ethics code. This 1974 case banned the acceptance of so-called “freebies” such as tickets to performances, sports events, or social galas even if the review of such events was part of a reporter's job. The code also required reporters to provide documentation of every meeting paid for by a source. Management's concern was that such “freebies” and payments might sway reporters from their responsibility to provide impartial and objective coverage. The guild's objection was that the code was imposed by management, not the product of bargaining. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) initially decided in the guild's favor, but in 1976 reversed its decision. In the 1977 unit clarification case, management attempted to reclassify certain employees as supervisors, thus making them ineligible for guild membership. Among these reclassified employees was the guild president, Diane Woodstock. The NLRB ruled in the guild's favor, and Woodstock remained in her position as president. An additional indicator of the times was a representation election in which a majority of the WSJEA, but less than the required percentage, voted to reaffiliate with the Newspaper Guild.

At the same time, the guild felt that negotiations and overall working conditions were increasingly influenced by Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Wisconsin State Journal and thus part-owner of Madison Newspapers, Inc. In 1974 the guild came close to striking in support of the demands of the printers' union. Ultimately, such concerns over the implementation of technology and resulting job losses at Madison Newspapers, the inability of some unions to negotiate contract renewals, and concerns that Lee Enterprises was attempting to destroy the unions led to a strike. In October 1977 International Typographical Union Local 23 and the Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Association struck the Wisconsin State Journal and Madison Newspapers, Inc.; Madison Newspaper Guild Local 64, the International Mailers Union, and Pressmen's Local 208 walked out in support.

In anticipation of the strike, in April 1977 these five unions had formed a Unity Committee. The committee remained active throughout the strike, publishing a weekly newsletter, “On the Line,” and assisting in the formation of the Press Connection newspaper. Guild members were active in many of the efforts of the Unity Committee and the Press Connection. The strike lasted two years, though neither the Wisconsin State Journal nor the Capital Times missed a day of publication. Both papers eventually hired permanent replacements for the striking workers and only a few workers from the guild were rehired when the strike was settled. Settlement of the strike resulted in the virtual dissolution of the guild because Local 64 was declared inactive for a period of one year as part of the agreement.

The records of the Madison Newspaper Guild (MNG) document the activities of a small professional union local. The records span the entire life of the local, from its charter in 1934 through the strike that brought its demise in 1979. However, records from 1934 to 1958 are scant; documentation for the period 1958 to 1970 is better, but still sketchy. The bulk of the collection focuses on the time period 1970-1979. Even for this period, some typical union records such as membership and financial records are missing.

Strengths of the collection include correspondence between union representatives and newspaper management regarding day-to-day operations. Grievances dating from the 1970s, a period of great stress in the newspaper business, are also well represented. The 1974 Ethics Code and Dave Wagner's refusal to cross a MULO picket line are particularly well documented. There is also important documentation of the guild's participation with four other unions in the unsuccessful 1977-1979 strike that is not available elsewhere.

The records of the Madison Newspaper Guild are arranged into five series: ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS; COLLECTIVE BARGAINING; NEWSPAPER MANAGEMENT FILES; OTHER LABOR GROUPS; and SUBJECT FILES.

The ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS series is composed of audit reports; an application for the 1934 charter, two undated constitutions, and by-laws; correspondence of officers; scattered and partial membership lists; rosters of guild officers; scattered minutes; and files relating to the biennial Page One Ball. The strength of this series is the chronological correspondence. The general correspondence documents the day-to-day operations of the guild primarily under the leadership of Cedric Parker, Irv Kriesman, Matt Pommer, and Diane Woodstock and their dealings with George Stephenson, Miles McMillin, and Bob Meloon of Capital Times management. Some of the matters discussed include contract negotiations, minority hiring, sexism, leaves of absence, non-union sportswriters, building security, grievances, and raises. Separate employment correspondence consists of routine notifications from management about job openings, new hires, and changes in an employee's status or hours.

The COLLECTIVE BARGAINING series is divided into subseries regarding employee benefits such as life insurance and pensions, bulletins summarizing bargaining sessions, contracts and proposals, grievances, and strikes. The last named two sections are the majority of the series.

The contracts and proposals section includes the initial 1934 contract but no other documentation for the 1930s or early 1940s. From 1945 through the guild's demise, the holdings are virtually complete. This file also includes correspondence with the American Newspaper Guild from the 1950s concerning provisions in the proposed contracts thought to violate the ANG constitution and collective bargaining principles.

The grievance files are arranged in chronological order. Several document cases that went before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for settlement. These are the well-documented Ethics Code case of 1974, Dave Wagner's refusal to cross a MULO picket line, and the unit clarification case of 1977 which concerned the eligibility of certain supervisory employees for guild membership. They include briefs, decisions, and other legal documents, as well as partial or complete transcripts of testimony.

Files in the Strikes sub-series concentrate mostly on the 1977-1979 strike, though there were threatened strikes in 1954 and 1974 that are also documented. Files relating to the strike of 1977 consist of legal documents pertaining to proceedings of the NLRB; charges against pickets for damaging delivery trucks; and concerns about the legality of the strike. Documentation is also provided regarding negotiations, both before the strike and return-to-work offers made throughout the strike. The support files include information on the “Never on Sunday” campaign which encouraged State Journal subscribers to cancel their Sunday paper; letters from other guilds and locals primarily conveying donations; a Survival Graphics poster; and a Madison Press Connection poster. Most important is the file of memoranda on the Unity Committee, composed of representatives from all five striking unions.

The NEWSPAPER MANAGEMENT FILES are comprised of research material compiled by the guild to support their position in contract negotiations. Included is information on advertising rates and lineage and income, as well as financial statements and records of the Capital Times, Madison Newspapers, and Lee Enterprises. Similar information can be found in The Guild Case for ..., 1948, 1949, and 1956, a Local 64 publication in the Historical Society Library.

The series on OTHER LABOR GROUPS documents attempts to organize other employees of Madison Newspapers and radio station WIBA, which was owned by the Capital Times. Most documentation concerning these groups is sketchy, concentrating on the 1970s. Two files about the Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Association provide some glimpses into the situation which led to the formation of the WSJEA in 1947 and some information about the bargaining that took place between the WSJEA and MNI in 1977.

The final series of SUBJECT FILES covers two issues from the 1970s. First, and most thoroughly documented, is the investigation into links between the CIA and the American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD), an issue in which the local guild and Diane Woodstock took a particular interest. There is a slim folder of material regarding health concerns and the use of Video Display Terminals.

One additional archives box which was missing in 1998, is not included in the above description.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Diane M. Woodstock, Chicago, Illinois, 1990. Accession Number: M90-249

Processing Information

Processed by Linda Barnickel (Intern), 1998.

Mss 896	Series: Administrative Records
Box   1 Folder   1	Audit reports, 1961-1975
Box   1 Folder   2	Charter, constitution, and by-laws
Box   8	Clippings, 1964, 1970, 1974-1979, undated
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   3-10	General, 1938-1939, 1952-1979
Box   1 Folder   11	Employment, 1958-1977
Box   1 Folder   12	Membership and officers, 1961-1977
Box   1 Folder   13	Minutes, 1967-1978
Box   1 Folder   14-17	Page One Ball, 1959, 1966, 1972-1976
Box   1 Folder   18	Stock certificates
	Series: Collective Bargaining	⇧
	Benefits
Box   2 Folder   1	Health insurance, 1971, 1974-1975
Box   2 Folder   2	Life insurance, 1976-1978
	Pension
Box   2 Folder   3	Correspondence, 1965-1978
Box   2 Folder   4	Pension plans
Box   2 Folder   5-7	Bulletins, 1964-1977
	Contracts
	Correspondence
Box   2 Folder   8	ANG constitution violations, 1956-1957
Box   2 Folder   9	ANG contract analysis, 1955
Box   2 Folder   10-15	Contracts and proposals, 1934-1976
	Grievances
Box   2 Folder   16	1958-1960, Irv Kreisman (Leave of absence)
Box   3 Folder   1	, 1960-1973 (Non union writers)
Box   3 Folder   2	1965, John Braun (Military service)
	1971-1974, Francis Ryan (Dismissal)
Box   3 Folder   3	Correspondence
Box   3 Folder   4	Transcript (WDRC)
Box   3 Folder   5	1973 (Harry Golden, pay reduction)
Box   3 Folder   6	1974 (Robb Johnson, reporter/photographer combination)
	1974-1977, Ethics Code
PH Mss 896	Cartoon, “Merit Raise Time”
Mss 896	Correspondence
Box   3 Folder   7-9	General, 1974-1977
Box   3 Folder   10	Meetings with sources, 1974-1975
	NLRB legal documents
Box   3 Folder   11	Affidavit, Diane Woodstock, 1974-1975
	Briefs
Box   3 Folder   12	Amicus curiae (ANPA) and general counsel
Box   3 Folder   13-14	Respondents
Box   3 Folder   15	Unions
Box   3 Folder   16	Charges and answers
Box   3 Folder   17	Decision
Box   4 Folder   1	Decision orders and exceptions
Box   4 Folder   3	Motion and requests
	Transcripts
Box   4 Folder   4	Abridged
Box   5	Complete
Box   4 Folder   2	Other ethics codes
Box   4 Folder   5	Post-NLRB bargaining
Box   4 Folder   6	1974-1977, John Stallard (Suspension)
Box   4 Folder   7	1975, Mike Lucas (Outside employment)
	1976-1977, Dave Wagner (MULO picket line 30 CA-3639)
Box   4 Folder   8	Clippings
Box   4 Folder   9	Correspondence
Box   4 Folder   10	Legal documents
Box   4 Folder   11	1977, Jo Ann Allen (parttimer's overtime)
	1977, Unit clarification (30-UC-118)
Box   4 Folder   12	Correspondence
	Legal Documents
Box   4 Folder   13-15	Briefs
Box   4 Folder   16	Decisions, orders, and notices
Box   4 Folder   17-18	Review and review opposition
	Strikes
Box   6 Folder   1	1954, Strike threat
	1974, Strike threat
Box   6 Folder   2	Documents
PH Mss 896	Photographs (Informational picket)
Mss 896	1977-1979, Strike
	Legal documents
Box   6 Folder   3	Legal status of strike, 1978
Box   6 Folder   4-7	NLRB files, 1977-1979
Box   6 Folder   8	Picket line charges, 1977-1978
Box   6 Folder   8	Negotiations
PH Mss 896	Photographs
Mss 896 Box   6 Folder   9	Pre-strike negotiations, 1976-1977
Box   6 Folder   10	Return to work offers, 1977-1978
	Support
PH Mss 896	Cartoon, “Technology before People”
Mss 896 Box   6 Folder   11	Christmas Fund, 1977
Box   6 Folder   12	Newspaper Workers Support Group
Box   6 Folder   13	“Never on Sunday,” 1977
Box   6 Folder   14-15	Other guilds, 1977-1979
PH Mss 896	Posters: “Support Madison Newspaper Unions” and “Madison Press Connection”
Mss 896 Box   6 Folder   16	Press Connection, 1978
Box   6 Folder   17	State & Local Support, 1977-1978
Box   6 Folder   18	Unity Committee, 1977
	Series: Newspaper Management Files	⇧
Box   7 Folder   1	Advertising figures, 1953-1958, 1974-1977
Box   7 Folder   2	Financial correspondence, 1959-1968, 1971-1979
Box   7 Folder   3-5	Financial statements, 1949-1955, 1972, 1975
Box   7 Folder   5A	“If the Capital Times Had Not Been Invented, This is What We Would Do”
	Lee Enterprises
Box   7 Folder   6	“Lee Looks Ahead to the 80s”
Box   7 Folder   7	Stockholder information, 1976-1979
	Series: Other Labor Groups	⇧
Box   7 Folder   8	Building Services Union, 1971-1979
Box   7 Folder   9	Circulation employees, 1972
Box   7 Folder   10	Classified advertising employees, 1972-1974
Box   7 Folder   11	Mailers' Union, 1974-1976
Box   7 Folder   12	Photoengravers, 1968
Box   7 Folder   13	Pressmen's Union, 1978
Box   7 Folder   14	WIBA employees (Badger Broadcasting), 1971-1973
Box   7 Folder   15-16	Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Association, 1947-1951, 1971-1979
	Series: Subject Files	⇧
Box   7 Folder   17	Affirmative Action, 1975
Box   7 Folder   18-19	CIA & American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD), 1979
Box   7 Folder   20	Video Display Terminals (VDTs), 1976