Hundreds of marchers turned out for Monday’s parade marking Labor Day in downtown Springfield.
Dean Olsen, speaking on behalf of the United Media Guild, says it is a good opportunity to make the public more aware of the labor movement in general, and reporters and writers for the city’s daily newspaper’s efforts to negotiate a labor deal.
“In 2012, the United Media Guild, organized the workers in the news room of the State Journal-Register. We are trying to get our first contract,” says Olsen. “We have been negotiating with the owners of the paper since 2013.”
Olsen says he is hopeful a deal can be struck as he notes the traditional newspaper is undergoing rapid changes. However, he says the SJ-R is keeping up with evolving technology and still fills a niche in the media stream.