Winnipeg Free Press workers on strike

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- About 1,000 workers at the Winnipeg (Canada) Free Press were in the second day of a strike Tuesday that stopped print editions from being published.

The members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union walked off the job at noon Monday and set up pickets outside in windy and rainy weather, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Union issues include wages, job descriptions, workloads for paper carriers and benefits.

The newspaper's Web site said there would be no print edition Tuesday and for the duration of the strike.

Meanwhile, non-union editorial staff updated the site, and worked at covering the federal election, the CBC said.

Strike spokeswoman Mary Agnes Welch told the Winnipeg Sun there was "significant distance" between employee demands and the newspaper's management.

The workers have been without a contract since Oct. 1. Those on strike include some editorial staff, advertising, circulation and press workers and newspaper carriers.

The strike vote was supported by 84 percent of the workers, the report said.

Free Press publisher Bob Cox told the Sun talks were ongoing.

"The situation is truly in flux ... it could change at any time," he said.