The United Media Guild formed as the St. Louis Newspaper Guild in January 1934. It began with 50 members from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Associated Press. By the next month, the local included employees at the Globe-Democrat and Star-Times. It adopted a constitution and by-laws and affiliated with the American Newspaper Guild — now known as The Newspaper Guild, a sector with the Communications Workers of America.
Since then, our local has played a vital role in protecting the quality of journalism and journalism jobs in this region.
There have been many memorable labor battles along the way. The Post-Dispatch ceased publication during strikes in 1945, 1973 and 1978-79. After the Guild’s strike in 1959 at the Globe-Democrat, that newspaper sold its building and presses to the Post-Dispatch.
The St. Louis Newspaper Guild changed its named to United Media Guild after merging with the Peoria Newspaper Guild.