High Noon at Sun-Times

Jeremy Mullman of Crains takes a look at the ongoing labor strife at the Sun-Times:

Little progress had been made by late Tuesday afternoon between union journalists and management at the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Chicago Newspaper Guild has said its union workers will walk off the job at the paper if a new labor contract isn’t in place by noon Wednesday. While both sides have been talking through a federal mediator since 10 a.m. today, they remain far apart on raises and health care costs.

The guild wants a first-year increase of 7.5%; management is offering 2%.

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If a deal can’t be reached by noon, and the guild strikes, Mr. Rilea says management has replacement workers from Hollinger’s other Chicago titles ready to fill in. “We’ve got people available to put the paper out, as we always do,” he says. “We hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Just what Chicago needs -- scab reporters during the final days of an election campaign.

UPDATE: Bullet dodged:

(AP) The Chicago Sun-Times averted a strike Wednesday with a last-minute contract deal that was reached as union reporters, copy editors and other news staff were prepared to walk out.

"This is the best deal we can get," Chicago Newspaper Guild spokesman Scott Fornek said in announcing the tentative agreement. "There's no dancing in the aisles. There's no walking out, picketing on the street, either."

Details at Crain's.