Writers’ Byline Boycott Tells Story : Guild Protesting Sluggish Union-Tribune Contract Talks

Reporters at the San Diego Union and the Tribune launched a two-day byline boycott Thursday to protest stalled contract talks with the company. Photographers and graphic artists also participated by requesting that their names be removed from any photos or drawings accompanying news stories.

On Thursday, the effect of the boycott was evident on the Union’s front page, which included three locally written stories and a color map that were run without the names of the reporters and graphic artists who worked on them.

The map tracked Hurricane Gilbert’s path across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, featuring Mexico and Central America. Honduras and Guatemala were incorrectly identified on the map and Guatemala was spelled “Guatamala.”

Union-Tribune Editor-in-Chief Herbert Klein chuckled at the mistakes and denied they were done deliberately by disgruntled artists or copy editors represented by the San Diego Newspaper Guild.

Negotiating for New Pact

The guild, which represents about 1,000 workers at the Union and the Tribune--including reporters, librarians and employees in the circulation and advertising departments--organized the boycott and is negotiating with the company for a new contract.

At a news conference Thursday outside the Union-Tribune building, guild President Ed Jahn said the boycott was also designed to show management that there are growing dissatisfaction and morale problems among guild members at the newspapers. The guild’s contract with the papers expired June 5.

“The company says we haven’t agreed on a contract because of a tiny group of disgruntled guild officials,” Jahn said. “This should show management that it is not a tiny minority of malcontents throughout the paper that is dissatisfied, but an overwhelming number of employees.”

About 95% of the reporters, photographers and graphic artists at both papers are supporting the boycott, and more than 320 people have signed petitions of support, Jahn said. Among those supporting the boycott is Union columnist Tom Blair, whose column appeared without his picture and name and under the headline “City Column.”

Handful Allowed Byline Use

Only a handful of reporters, mostly sportswriters, allowed their bylines to be used Thursday. But one Tribune news reporter had three stories with a byline.

Jahn charged that management is determined to destroy the guild, which has represented workers at the Union-Tribune for 52 years. Management is motivated by greed, he added.

“This company makes millions of dollars each year,” Jahn said. “It’s like they have a license to print money. Why are they trying to destroy this working relationship that we’ve had with the company for more than 50 years?”

Klein dismissed the byline boycott as ineffective and denied the company is trying to destroy the guild.

“As far as I’m concerned, morale is good and reporters are working hard at producing a good product,” Klein said. “We want this settled as quickly as possible. . . . I expect there to be a guild here for a long time.”