Guild Members Rally Around St. Louis Reporter
August 25, 2006
Members of the St. Louis Newspaper Guild, CWA Local
36047, rallied outside the Post-Dispatch newspaper to protest the
unfair suspension of a prize-winning reporter.
Carolyn Tuft, with 14 years at the paper, was wrongly disciplined
for a story she wrote in April 2005 about the Joyce Meyer Ministries.
Her case was heard by an arbitrator this week, but a decision may take
several months.
After Tuft's story appeared in April 2005, two Post-Dispatch editors
— one of whom has left the newspaper — published an unprecedented
apology. This apology clarified matters that did not need clarifying
and corrected information that was not in error, the local said.
The local also pointed out that management's actions violated
contract provisions concerning disciplinary procedures and were
unfairly and wrongly applied to Tuft. Tuft was the only person singled
out for any discipline.
"I want them to correct the record. I was never unfair or
unprofessional. I want my career and credibility back," she said in an
interview with Editor and Publisher.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch employees are rallying behind Tuft because
they know that if management's over-the-top response is allowed to
stand, all employees will be at risk for excessive penalties, the local
said. Also speaking at the rally were local president Jeff Gordon and
Ed Bishop, editor of the St. Louis Journalism Review.
