2016.05.19 | CWA Canada Local 30130 | Halifax Typographical Union
Striking Halifax journalists expand online rival to Herald
Newsroom workers in Halifax today relaunched LocalXpress.ca as a full-spectrum online strike newspaper to compete with their employer’s flagship publication.
Members of the Halifax Typographical Union (HTU), who were forced out on a defensive strike on Jan. 23 by The Chronicle Herald, which has not budged from its union-busting contract demands made late last year, have been producing the news site since Jan. 30.
The HTU announced at a press conference and in a news release this morning that Local Xpress will now be offering local, regional and national news, business, entertainment and sports coverage, as well as accepting advertising.
The expanded news site includes free obituary listings, searchable event listings, weather and online flyers.
“It’s exciting to be moving to a different platform where we can offer readers the same high-quality journalism they have come to expect from us, along with lots of additional content,” said LocalXpress.ca Editor Pam Sword.
HTU President Ingrid Bulmer said the site will offer Nova Scotians a one-stop option for all their news needs — local and national.
“This is a channel for our reporters, photographers and editors to do what they do best,” Bulmer said. “That is to generate and share the stories that Nova Scotians want to read about their neighbourhoods and their province.”
CWA Canada President Martin O’Hanlon said the media union’s Halifax Local saw the move as necessary to put pressure on the Herald to get back to the bargaining table.
“They have made unreasonable concession demands, forced our members out on strike, hired replacement (scab) staff they claim are permanent, and they refuse to negotiate,” O’Hanlon said.
“We have offered concessions and done everything reasonable to get them to bargain, all to no avail. It seems the only way to get their attention and block their union-busting strategy is to launch a real rival publication.”
“We urge the Herald to compromise — as we have — sign a fair deal, and we will shut down Local Xpress and get everyone back to work.”
For interviews or more information, contact Martin O'Hanlon (email / 613-820-8460).