Hundreds of Washington Post employees were not reporting the news on Thursday. Instead, they were picketing the newspaper outside of its K Street offices in D.C.

It comes as members of the Washington Post Guild strike for 24 hours after months of negotiations with the paper continue to fall short.

Katie Mettler is a local criminal justice reporter for the Post. She said the paper has been negotiating with the union in “bad faith” and the one-day strike is meant to bring attention to that fact.

“We would all much rather be doing our jobs today, the work we care deeply about, serving the people we care deeply about, but unfortunately, we had to take this historic move,” Mettler said.

The union represents not only reporters, but also editors, cartoonists, visual journalists, advertising salespeople and circulation drivers.

As the union workers picketed under the shadow of a giant inflatable rat, called “Scabby,” they chanted: “What do we want? Fair pay. When do we want it? Yesterday.”

WTOP/Mike Murillo

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WTOP/Mike Murillo

WTOP/Mike Murillo

WTOP/Mike Murillo

WTOP/Mike Murillo

The Post is owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos and, in a statement to WTOP, the publication said it respects the rights of Guild-covered workers to engage in the strike.

“We will make sure our readers and customers are as unaffected as possible. The Post’s goal remains the same as it has from the start of our negotiations: to reach an agreement with the Guild that meets the needs of our employees and the needs of our business,” a Post spokesperson said.

The union members said this is also about saving jobs, after the claim the papers is threatening layoffs if enough people don’t take “voluntary buyouts” which were offered to more than 200 employees.

“The Post is our local newspaper here in D.C. and the fact that almost the entire local staff got offered a buyout is, frankly, what everyone should be appalled at,” said Zainab Mudallal, an opinion editor at the paper.

Mudallal called on the publication to provide more mental health services to employees as well.

“The fact that the Post is not willing to budge on any sort of mental health resources for their employees is a shame,” Mudallal said. “I really do believe that [if] we’re asked to be strong and for us to report and edit and do what we need to do as journalists, we need to be invested in as well.”

For Post climate reporter Sarah Kaplan, she said the minimum pay being offered to entry level employees, such as copy aides, is “atrocious” and that many cannot live in D.C. with the salaries offered.

She said the strike is meant to give the company an idea of what it would be like without the employees, which she said are “the heart and soul” of The Washington Post.

“The company is feeling what it means to be without these employees,” she said. “The Post is nothing without us and we deserve a fair deal.”

Among those braving the cold to support the Post employees was the paper’s first Black female reporter Dorothy Butler Gilliam.

The crowd erupted into cheers when Gilliam told them, “You will win!”

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced it will expand Metrobus service to 24 hours a day on 14 bus routes starting December 17, according to an article in Mass Transit. “These high ridership routes on key corridors will predominantly support late-night and early-morning essential workers in hospitality, healthcare and entertainment industries.”

The expansion comes after an agreement with the District of Columbia brought more funding to WMATA. “WMATA says the 24/7 DC Bus Service will help support Washington, D.C.’s, growing economic vitality and diversity. Many of the selected bus routes run through the city’s late night hot spots and entertainment venues, providing those who enjoy the nightlife and late-night workers better transit options.” The new service will include ‘courtesy stops,’ letting passengers request to be let off between stops during nighttime hours.

On May 8, 2024, the Council of the Americas will host the 54th Washington Conference on the Americas. Please mark your calendars and make plans to join us in Washington, DC or tune in online. 

The Washington Conference on the Americas is the premier event on the region. Each year, this conference offers an excellent opportunity to hear from the most senior-level officials. It also offers participants the chance to engage with business and policy leaders, members of the diplomatic community, and special invited guests from throughout the hemisphere. 

The 54th Washington Conference on the Americas will feature keynote remarks and interviews with senior leaders along with high-level panel discussions. 

Our sponsorship package is attractive, including exclusive embassy dinners, private meetings with senior leaders, and preferred access to conference activities, including a keynote luncheon on May 7th. See full list of benefits. 

For more sponsorship information, please contact Maria Despradel at mdespradel@as-coa.org. 

We look forward to having you with us for the 54th Washington Conference on the Americas!

Press inquiries: mediarelations@as-coa.org

Join the discussion on Twitter #2024WCA | @ASCOA 

Learn more about past editions of the Washington Conference on the Americas.