The press workers union signed their new contract last week and they now work 40 hours for the same pay as their old 37.5 hours. There is one press run at night, starting at 11:40 pm. Sources say the crew shift times have changed as well, with the night crew starting at 10:00 pm and stopping at 6:00 am. The day crew starts at 5:45 am and stops at 1:45 pm. Press workers did not get a pay raisefor the life of the two-year contract and also lost 25% of their short term disabilty payments. As one pressman said, there are "not a lot of happy campers here" and added that "moral is at its lowest level in a long time."

Unfortunately, that's the case thoughout the company.

   Chicago Daily News press room 1903. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society.