Mark Brown: Vindy buyout is 'idle speculation'
Elizabeth Tabak
Issue date: 2/15/05 Section: pageone
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The General Manager of The Vindicator said recent talk about a company buyout is just "idle speculation."
Mark Brown, The Vindicator's General Manager, said there are four different publishing companies that have sent reporters and editors to help the non-striking members of The Vindicator publish the daily paper. However, he stressed these workers and other free-lance reporters are only being employed while talks continue with the striking members of the Youngstown Newspaper Guild.
"The speculation that there is a sale of The Vindicator is a bunch of bologna," Brown said. "There is no one helping us in anticipation of a sale."
The current lack of bylines in the paper, Brown explained, is a safety issue for those out-of-town reporters that have been filling the vacancies.
"We've got some folks on loan that don't want to be harassed, so we don't use their bylines," Brown said.
Brown went on to say he is still unsure of when union members and The Vindicator management will come to a contract agreement to end the strike. He added he has not recently been contacted by mediators for further negotiations.
"It's not a matter of us choosing not to bring the guild back," Brown said.
Union members, however, say that is not the case.
Anthony Markota, president of the Youngstown Newspaper Guild Local 11, said the company has refused to negotiate, and has maintained the last offer that was on the table, something Markota called "puzzling."
"They are going to put themselves out of business by taking such a hard line," Markota said. "It's like they are on the Titanic trying to get the water out. We all know what happened to the Titanic."
Brown, however, said this is not the case.
"Anytime the union mediator called we go," Brown said. "But, we have never refused."
Markota said until an agreement is reached with Vindicator management, union members will continue to make their voice heard.
Saturday afternoon, all remaining striking union members staged a mass-picketing outside The Vindicator offices. Approximately 250 people, consisting of picketers, local officials and others attended.
Mark Brown, The Vindicator's General Manager, said there are four different publishing companies that have sent reporters and editors to help the non-striking members of The Vindicator publish the daily paper. However, he stressed these workers and other free-lance reporters are only being employed while talks continue with the striking members of the Youngstown Newspaper Guild.
"The speculation that there is a sale of The Vindicator is a bunch of bologna," Brown said. "There is no one helping us in anticipation of a sale."
The current lack of bylines in the paper, Brown explained, is a safety issue for those out-of-town reporters that have been filling the vacancies.
"We've got some folks on loan that don't want to be harassed, so we don't use their bylines," Brown said.
Brown went on to say he is still unsure of when union members and The Vindicator management will come to a contract agreement to end the strike. He added he has not recently been contacted by mediators for further negotiations.
"It's not a matter of us choosing not to bring the guild back," Brown said.
Union members, however, say that is not the case.
Anthony Markota, president of the Youngstown Newspaper Guild Local 11, said the company has refused to negotiate, and has maintained the last offer that was on the table, something Markota called "puzzling."
"They are going to put themselves out of business by taking such a hard line," Markota said. "It's like they are on the Titanic trying to get the water out. We all know what happened to the Titanic."
Brown, however, said this is not the case.
"Anytime the union mediator called we go," Brown said. "But, we have never refused."
Markota said until an agreement is reached with Vindicator management, union members will continue to make their voice heard.
Saturday afternoon, all remaining striking union members staged a mass-picketing outside The Vindicator offices. Approximately 250 people, consisting of picketers, local officials and others attended.