With funding from the Berger-Marks Foundation, the Pacific Media Workers Guild is launching a novel summer program for student journalists, focusing on coverage of labor, women's issues and other political and social justice movements. “This is a union-sponsored program, but we want students to understand we don’t want any PR about ourselves or anyone else,” said local Executive Officer Carl Hall. “We want to help students learn about accuracy and independence, along with the increasingly novel idea that journalists should be paid fairly for their work." File photo: California State University protest. Credit: Luke Thomas/Fog City Journal.

Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis stood with members of the local unit of the United Media Guild on Monday and urged the corporate owner of the Journal Star to top plans to outsource jobs and slash wages. A letter signed by 10 of 11 members of the Peoria City Council and a second letter from pastors of two of the city's largest churches are also urging Gatehouse Media to respect its workers and preserve the quality of the newspaper they produce. The Guild's campaign includes a new radio ad.  Also check out coverage from a Peoria blog. Photo: Ardis, far left, and Peoria Unit President Phil Luciano meet with reporters. 

The Dayton Newspaper Guild's resolve knows no end, marching, demonstrating and leafleting in pursuit of good journalism and good jobs. Their website features pictures from their latest march, with another planned next week, and their Facebook page features photos from leafleting at opening day for the Dayton Dragons, a minor league baseball team. Guild members handed out about 700 leaflets explaining the long fight for a fair contract with Cox Media Group, owner of the Dayton Daily News.