Michael Fuoco Resigns As President Of Newspaper Guild Of Pittsburgh
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Michael Fuoco has resigned his position as president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh.
According to the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, Fuoco made his resignation official on Saturday night, telling the guild's executive committee.
The resignation comes after the guild learned of an investigation involving Fuoco regarding allegations of violations of the mutual respect policy.
Following Fuoco's resignation, first vice president Ed Blazina will be the interim president until an election can be held.
A full statement from the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh can be found below.
In a statement exclusively to KDKA, Fuoco said the timing of the accusations was curious.
"Suspiciously timed allegations against me, dating back decades, threaten to become a distraction as the Guild continues its fight for a fair contract. In light of this, I am stepping aside as president of Local 38061," he said.
Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh's Statement on the Resignation Of Michael Fuoco
"Michael A. Fuoco has voluntarily resigned his position as president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh effective immediately.
His resignation was communicated to the Guild's executive committee Saturday night.
Earlier in the day, officials with our parent unions, the NewsGuild-CWA and the Communications Workers of America (CWA), first notified local union leaders of an investigation into Fuoco concerning allegations of violations of the mutual respect policy to which every CWA member is expected to adhere.
The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh is fully committed to upholding the policy, which opposes all forms of discrimination.
The local is fully cooperating with the investigation that is being conducted by the CWA President's office.
Local Guild leaders have no evidence either to substantiate or disprove the allegations that are the subject of the CWA investigation.
"Our union does not tolerate discrimination or harassment at any level," said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss.
Above all else, this union and the members of the executive committee are in place to guarantee a safe and fair work environment. We are committed to upholding those values. We are committed to making sure every member feels heard and protected.
The trust and confidence of our members is of the utmost importance, especially during this critical time as the Post-Gazette unit prepares for a potential strike and the Point Park University unit enters the last year of its contract.
Post-Gazette unit leaders and NewsGuild-CWA leaders remain fully committed to preparing for a possible strike.
In addition, the executive committee unanimously decided Saturday to re-establish a human rights committee that will serve as a place where members can report complaints about the conduct of executive committee members or by other people in the membership.
Once again, the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh does not tolerate harassment or discrimination in any way. We strive to create an environment where members feel comfortable, safe and protected and are moving swiftly to guarantee that members have plenty of outlets to express their feelings, address concerns and ask questions. As a union, as always, we stand stronger together.
Under the local's bylaws, first vice president Ed Blazina will assume the president's role until an election can be held."
