A Joyful Day for the Portland Guild
‘Newspaper Workers Celebrate Bright Future’ sounds like the headline to an April Fool’s Day story. But the party that the Portland Newspaper Guild held Sunday was no joke.
Guild members and their families gathered for lively, and at times emotional, celebration of the new investment that stopped Portland’s newspapers from going bankrupt, saving jobs and the Guild’s contract.
It was the Guild that reached out to the civic-minded investor, billionaire Donald Sussman in late January. Last week, Sussman’s finalized a deal with MaineToday Media that includes an infusion of cash. Sussman came to Sunday’s party and spent time talking one-on-one with Guild members.
This week, the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram are expected to begin the process of hiring new reporters and recalling several part-time copy editors and an online producer, rebuilding a staff devastated by layoffs in recent years. New computers and other technology upgrades are also on the way.
“People are very optimistic, and there’s more energy,” Portland Guild President Tom Bell said. “Even though none of the investment has happened yet, the energy is already transferring into a better product. Morale is higher, and there’s a lot of brainstorming between the union and management and workers and managers. “
Bell, an accordion player, performed a song he wrote,” The Ballad of Local 128,” and he also recited the words to song about martyred labor activist Joe Hill, which Sussman said had been his father’s favorite song. Sussman spoke “about the importance of saving the newspapers because he sees an informed citizenry as crucial to a democracy,” Bell said.
Guild members know there’s a lot of hard work ahead, “that everything won’t be popcorn and rainbows,” said Kathy Munroe, Local 31128 administrative officer and past president. But because of their solidarity and determination the past several years, she said they achieved “by far a better outcome than anyone expected even a few months ago, and that’s certainly something worth celebrating.”
Check back for further coverage of the progress being made in Portland.
Meanwhile, here are the lyrics to the song Bell wrote about the local’s fight to save the newspapers, with references to some of the managers and would-be investors who have come and gone:
The Ballad of Local 128
In the Great Recession of 2008
Frankie Blethen sold some real estate
He owned three papers in the state of Maine
$200 million down the drain
He tried to make it an asset sale
And was
Stopped by the union
Stopped by the union
Stopped by the union
And he failed
Bankruptcy went out the alarm
Rich Connor came and put on his charm
We cut our own pay and threw in with him
Holy crap we let Satan walk right in!
Two years later Connor scammed us all
He made out in millions and let us fall
His put his house in a trust for his wife
And left the little newspaper fighting for its life
Soon came Neil Heyside and CRG
We renegotiated so gently
Then came Aaron and that (bad word) Chris Harte
They tried to rip our contract apart
With Kathy Munroe by our side
We said we won’t negotiate
Because
We are a union
We are a union
We are a union
We are Local 128
Kushner and Harte told the bankruptcy judge
They said the union bosses just won’t budge
The judge said that union is way too proud
I know how to take them down
But that little union knew how to fight
The union members went out on strike
The pressmen Teamsters joined in the ranks
And Aaron Kushner wet his pants
Gregory Kesich is on a tear!
Hail Mary Pass is in the air!
Donald Sussman catches the pass!
Richard Connor is on his ass!