The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will publish its final edition and cease operations on May 3, its owner Block Communications announced Wednesday, bringing an end to one of the oldest newspapers in the United States.
Block Communications said the business is no longer sustainable, citing losses of more than $350 million over the past 20 years. The company pointed to a recent court ruling in favor of the newsroom union as a key factor behind the decision.
Court ruling at center of closure
According to Block Communications, recent legal decisions would require the Post-Gazette to operate under a 2014 labor contract that it described as outdated and inflexible for today’s local journalism environment.
The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh said the shutdown follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to deny the company’s request to block a Third Circuit Court order. That ruling required the newspaper to reinstate a health care plan that management had eliminated in 2020.
Journalists returned to the newsroom in November after a three-year strike related to the labor dispute.
Union condemns decision
The union strongly criticized the move, accusing ownership of retaliating against journalists rather than complying with labor law.
“Instead of simply following the law, the owners chose to punish local journalists and the city of Pittsburgh,” said Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh president Andrew Goldstein. He added that the newsroom has produced award-winning journalism for decades and vowed to explore all options to preserve high-quality local reporting.
The union said that despite the closure, Block Communications remains legally obligated to reimburse employees for health care costs that were improperly shifted onto workers.
End of a historic institution
The shutdown follows another recent move by Block Communications to close the Pittsburgh City Paper, an alternative weekly that has been publishing since 1991.
The Post-Gazette, founded in 1786, has been a fixture of Pittsburgh journalism for generations.
“We deeply regret the impact this decision will have on Pittsburgh and the surrounding region,” Block Communications said. “The Block family is proud of the service the Post-Gazette has provided and will exit with their dignity intact.”
