Labor Tribune scores 13 honors in national labor press competition

IBEW 1’s John Moyle wins four honors; columns by Building Trades’ Aboussie, Laborers’ Elliott also win honors

The Labor Tribune is proud to announce the paper has won 13 awards in the annual Media Awards Contest sponsored by the International Labor Communications Association (ILCA), the labor movement’s professional communications organization. The awards cover the period of 2013.

Additionally, John Moyle, IBEW Local 1 press secretary, freelance writer and Labor Tribune contributor, won four awards.

One of the most significant and symbolic honors is the first place award for a profile of one of the most sincere, dedicated trade unionists ever, Labor Tribune Editor Emeritus Sherwood Kerker written upon his death. Sherwood is smiling broadly in heaven that his life is so enshrined in this appropriate story.

“You and your entire staff and IBEW’s John Moyle are to be congratulated in promoting the highest standards of labor journalism,” said ILCA President Kathy Cummings, communications director for the Washington State Labor Council, in announcing the winners. There were 777 entries from 68 different organizations in 29 different categories.

The Labor Tribune’s awards were the tied for the second highest won by any single organization, surpassed only the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers International Union (22) and tied with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building & Construction Trades Council (13).

MOYLE HONORS

Local 1’s Moyle awards include one first, two seconds and one third:

• 1st Place: Best Editorial or Column – “Oh SNAP!” is a fact based challenge to those who support cutting Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Programs (SNAP), aka Food Stamps, that appeared on IBEW Local 1’s St. Louis Powercast website.

• 2^nd Place: General Excellence – Blog – “IBEW Local One Volunteers with Rebuilding Together“ covered the efforts of nearly 100 IBEW Local One volunteers and 16 St. Louis NECA contractors that helped Rebuilding Together – St. Louis improve the homes of over two dozen elderly and disabled families in need.

• 2^nd Place: Best Profile – “Labor Rising offers new methods for cutting-edge organizing” Detailed coverage of Labor Rising’s new approach to union organizing, messaging and market development that appeared in the Labor Tribune.

• 3^rd Place: Best Profile – “IBEW Local 1 electrician ensures heroes get proper welcomes; Union recognizes his efforts” profiled 12-year IBEW Local 1 member Rodney Cook’s charity Mission American Gratitude and its expanding efforts to support local veterans.

LABOR TRIBUNE HONORS

The Labor Tribune won six first place awards, five second place awards and two third place awards. They were:

FIRST PLACE: 6 HONORS

• 1st Place: Best Front Page/Cover – “SOLIDARITY,” separate stories by Labor Tribune Editor Tim Rowden (the first of four awards for Rowden) on how the Peabody miners and fast food workers joined in each others’ public protest rallies.

• 1st Place: Best Cartoon – “The Santa Union charity work brings Christmas to our communities all year ‘round” drawn by Labor Tribune freelance cartoonist/artist Sean O’Conner, member Sprinkler Fitters Local 268, to illustrate a special section in the paper demonstrating union charity work for over 440 charities throughout the year.

• 1st Place: Best Photograph–“Remembering the Fallen” honoring 1,000 miners who have died in the Peabody, Arch and Patriot mines shot by Labor Tribune Editor Tim Rowden.

• 1st Place: Best Labor History Story – “Fund drive could bring repairs, renovations to Mother Jones Monument,” to encourage contributions to the museum honoring one of Labor’s most cherished protagonists. Written by Labor Tribune Illinois Correspondent Carl Green, the first of Carl’s two awards.

• 1st Place: Best Profile -“Sherwood Kerker, crusading editor for working families, dies at 82,” written by Labor Tribune reporter Kevin Madden and Managing Editor Dana Spitzer, both now retired.

• 1st Place: Best Series – “Lead Poisoning,” a five-part series on scab painters in two St. Louis high school exposing children to lead poisoning in preparation for repainting the schools. Written by Publisher Ed Finkelstein and Special Correspondent Mary Ann Holley

2ND PLACE: 5 HONORS

• 2nd Place: Best Photograph – “Summertime Blues.” A young fisherman holding his unique catch: a 57-pound blue catfish caught in the Mississippi in front of the arch. Photo by Ryan Casey, son of United Media Guild Representative Mary Casey.

• 2nd Place: Best Editorial or Column – “Right-to-work (for less) does nothing for workers” written by Gary Elliott, business manager, Eastern Missouri Laborers’ District Council who laid it on the line about the true intent of this anti-worker, anti-union law.

• 2nd Place: Best News – “Belleville Labor & Industry Museum tells the story of Americans at work” written by Illinois Correspondent Carl Green telling the story of one of the region’s little known but true labor gems that should be a “must” visit for everyone.

• 2nd Place: Best Series – Faith/Labor Alliance columns written especially for the Labor Tribune each month by various religious leaders around the community explaining the importance of the alliance between the faith community and organized labor. The Alliance meets the fourth Thursday of every month at Maggie O’Brien’s.

• 2nd Place: Best Design Internet – for the Labor Tribune’s website managed by Editor Tim Rowden.

3RD PLACE: 2 HONORS

• 3rd Place: Best Editorial or Column– “Building Trades cite accomplishments in growing local, state economy as example of how cooperation can work for everyone, everywhere.” Written by Jeff Aboussie, executive secretary-treasurer of the St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council on the importance of labor-management cooperation.

• 3rd Place: Best News –“How a retired Peabody miner found himself at the mercy of Patriot Coal’s bankruptcy plan” detailing the tragic story as related by a miner’s wife (because her husband was too ill to come to the miners’ protests) explaining the personal impact of their lives should Peabody Coal reduce their health benefits as they proposed. Written by Labor Tribune Editor Tim Rowden.

HUMBLED, HONORED

“We are both humbled and honored by these awards because everyone on the Labor Tribune staff – writers, advertising sales, production and support staff – makes it their responsibility every week to provide our readers with the highest quality and relevancy of labor journalism,” said Publisher Ed Finkelstein.

“We have a professional team second to none in America fighting for our unions in Missouri and Illinois, and we’re damned proud of it,” he said. “It’s an honor to have your efforts recognized by your peers.”

Added Editor Tim Rowden: “The story of working America, the men and women who do the important work that keeps our community and our nation moving – teaching our children, paving our streets, lighting our homes and businesses, building the structures that give us shelter, protecting our homes and businesses, entertaining us in our off-hours and caring for our loved ones in their times of need – is the most important story that can be told. It is an honor and a privilege each and every day to share the stories of our regions’ working families and to shine a light on the important work that they do.”

Judges in the ILCA contest are labor journalists in print, television, audio production, websites, newsletters, blogs and other communications categories who volunteer their time to judge entries.

Awards will be presented on Dec. 12 at the ILCA’s annual Honors Award Luncheon on Washington, D.C.