Los Angeles Times will cease to Print its own Newspaper

By Ronnie Pineda

It was all worth it! Zero Regrets with numerous unforgettable relationships and memories!

In 2024 the Los Angeles Times will cease to Print its own Newspaper.

After over a Century of recording not only the History of The City of Los Angeles, but of The World; the Newspaper itself will be printed by an outside source for the first time ever!

Everything from Politics & Sports, to Art & War has been Memorialized on newsprint by Men & Women Employed by “The Chandler Family” until being sold and pillaged by Billionaire Weasel, Sam Zell, then The Tribune Corporation in Chicago.

When the Los Angeles Times returned to private ownership, it merely provided several more years of existence for the Pressroom.

Along with the Pressroom goes OUR LOCAL! Our Legacy, GCC/IBT 140-N

I knew that we would never save the patient, but we could slow the bleeding until the inevitable.

I’m extremely proud of each and every individual that put on their armor and went to battle for each other, not one of us could have done it alone! We did suffer many casualties due to an Anti-Union Tyrant, THOSE FALLEN SOLDIERS ARE MY HEROS!

Be Proud Of Yourselves as well, You deserve it!

Please don’t forget those Brothers and Sisters that are no longer here to read this, remember them always as I do, they thought of you while standing!

Local 140 had Teamster & Graphic Communication Conference Supermen and Women that fought in the back ground to help us Pressmen & Presswomen achieve our goal of Organizing our Workplace.

GCC/IBT International President, George Tedeschi (Retired) was pivotal in our success and Lead our Organizing Campaign from Washington, which resulted in Chartering our Brand New Local in 2006. The last Pressroom, Union Contract was in 1967 and only lasted 3 years until the Union was De-certified.

Unfortunately, numerous attempts by Scumbags dressed in Pressroom uniforms failed to Decertify 140-N! Traitors to their own cause!

Marty Keegan kept the fire roaring and continually provided the fuel to burn!

Rickey Putman (RIP) brought energy to power the planet! Mountains were mounds and trees were bushes to this giant and he is dearly missed!

I have personally been out of the Shop for over a dozen years. I’ve survived two heart attacks and a stroke. I have four stents in my heart and enough metal in my joints that I set off metal detectors in Airport parking lots! I’m fortunate and grateful to be alive to share these thoughts, thank you Creator.

My Immediate family is my life and I cherish my wife Dianne, who’s truly responsible for me standing up to L.A. Times management. My children and my grandchildren are the reasons my heart still beats and I would fight til my last breath to protect them.

Over a decade ago, I put the same energy and commitment into my L.A. Times Family when we were on the battlefield. True fighters never die!

Thank you Brother Henry Gomez of Local 10-N, (thumbs up to those who know) This is all your fault and I’m glad to have been taught how to fight in this type of ring by you and Dave Staley! You are my original inspiration and NONE OF MY UNION LIFE WOULD’VE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU! GRACIAS HERMANO!

I need to include Brothers Michael Huggins and Sonny Shannon for Negotiating our Historical 1st Contract. If Negotiations took place in the Ring, these FIGHTERS clearly would have won in the 1st Round by Knockout!

We also share our Successes with Labor Attornies, Buddy Gottlieb and Adam Stern. Their combined Legal experience and results on behalf of working men and women is beyond measure; we were very fortunate to have these two men and their practices represent our Local in the Legal Arena.

I can’t forget to thank President Joe Inemer of the NANC (North American Newspaper Conference) for the work and financial support you and the Conference provided every time we faced legal costs that would’ve crippled the Local beyond our ability to stay in the fight! The NANC truly was life support for Local 140-N on more than a few occasions! BROTHERHOOD EXEMPLIFIED! Thank you Maureen O'Connor Schindle for being the Wizard behind the curtain, you lived in the shadows while providing the light for all of us to navigate, a true stealth fighter before one ever flew above!

I miss all of you that I consider Family and wish you all Health and Happiness til the end of time!

STOP THE PRESSES…….

RONNIE PINEDA

Charter President, Retired

GCC/IBT Local 140-N