Union Files Grievance Against Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Over AI Use

In a bold stand for journalistic integrity and workers’ rights, the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh has thrown the gauntlet down against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s utilization of artificial intelligence in creating published content. As the intersection of technology and media continues to blur traditional lines, this event marks a significant pushback from the Guild against what they perceive as encroachment on union workers’ territory.

The controversy ignited after an illustration, wrought by AI, graced the pages of the Jan. 21, 2024 issue of the Post-Gazette. In response, the Guild promptly filed a grievance and information request to Stan Wischnowski, the newspaper’s executive editor. Union members contend that the substitution of their skilled labor with artificial intelligence is more than an operational decision — it’s a fundamental threat.

Zack Tanner, the president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, expressed deep concern over the implications of AI’s emerging role in journalism, emphasizing the broader ramifications of technology replacing the human element in newsrooms nationwide. “The priority should be to preserve jobs that are increasingly endangered by corporate mismanagement, not to hasten their decline through the replacement with AI,” Tanner stated.

Amid an ongoing unfair labor practice (ULP) strike by production, distribution, and advertising workers, which began on Oct. 6, 2022, due to a healthcare payment dispute, and a subsequent strike by newsroom workers 12 days later, tensions between management and the Guild are already heightened. The latter was a response to what Guild members described as years of bad-faith bargaining and unilateral contract alterations by the Post-Gazette.

The Guild’s opposition speaks to the fabric of the current labor dispute. As the newsroom strike surpasses its 16th month, with the Post-Gazette reportedly hiring at least 26 newsroom replacement workers, disillusionment has intensified. Witnessing AI usurp yet another facet of the journalistic process adds insult to injury, further estranging the striking workforce.

Jen Kundrach, a strikering page designer and illustrator, expressed dismay at the Post-Gazette’s preference for AI-generated content over human creativity. “It’s telling of their stance on negotiations that they would rather rely on impersonal, inferior AI images generator outputs than craft a quality newspaper with original art,” Kundrach lamented.

The Guild’s demands remain unmoved since the strike’s inception: a revocation of the imposed working conditions, reinstating terms from their 2014-17 contract, a return to bargaining in good faith, and meeting the healthcare needs of fellow striking unions.

On the legal front, a National Labor Relations Board administrative law judge ruled in favor of the newsroom workers in January 2023, demanding the Post-Gazette rescind imposed conditions and resume negotiations. Despite PG’s announcement of their intent to appeal, the case awaits a decision by the NLRB’s full five-person board.

With the intention to further deliberate the challenges of U.S. labor law and strategizing their victory, striking workers plan to gather with union allies on Jan. 27, 2024, at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Union Hall. Tanner conveys a sense of unyielding resolve amid the labor strife: “Management should not misjudge our determination. The fight will persist because Pittsburgh deserves a paper shaped by the hands of union labor — not by the cold precision of AI or the work of strikebreakers.”

This conflict at the Post-Gazette is a microcosm of a larger, unfolding narrative on labor and automation. Across various sectors, the latest AI news & AI tools, including AI text generators and AI video generators, are being hailed for efficiency gains. Yet, the Guild’s resistance is a potent reminder that innovation cannot eclipse the value of human talent and must not infringe on workers’ rights.

As this dispute unfolds, it serves as a pertinent case study for industries everywhere. The burning question remains: How should we best integrate AI into the workforce without diminishing human labor’s value? This answer is still developing, emblematic of our times, where the potential of artificial intelligence generated images and other media meets the resolve of those who dedicate their lives to their craft.