US President Donald Trump today supported a proposed strike by The Washington Post workers demanding an increase in their salaries and other benefits, saying a really long strike would be a great idea.
The President has been at loggerheads with several US mainstream media outlets, including the CNN, ABC News, The New York Times and the Washington Post. He has quite often described these popular media houses as "fake media".
More than 400 employees of the Post have written to Amazon head Jeff Bezos seeking an increase in their salaries.
Bezos ownes the leading US daily.
"Washington Post employees want to go on strike because Bezos isn't paying them enough. I think a really long strike would be a great idea," Trump tweeted.
"Employees would get more money and we would get rid of Fake News for an extended period of time! Is @WaPo a registered lobbyist?" Trump asked.
"All we are asking for is fairness for each and every employee who contributed to this company's success: fair wages; fair benefits for retirement, family leave and health care; and a fair amount of job security," wrote the employees including reporters and those holding editorial positions.
They argued that in the past year alone, the Post has doubled the number of digital subscriptions and increased its online traffic by more than half; its advertising team has met or exceeded all its targets.
"Offering USD 10 a week in pay increases or about 0.6 per cent of the median salary and less than half the current rate of inflation is unfair and even shocking from someone who believes democracy dies in darkness," they wrote.
"Refusing to improve retirement benefits is unfair, particularly since you froze the traditional pension. The current retirement plans, including a 1 per cent match on our 401(k), suggest that you place little value in your employees' future financial security," they alleged.
The employees said that pushing for the right to indiscriminately lay off anyone is unfair and a recipe for future discrimination against older employees and minorities.
"Further cutting severance for people who face layoffs or whose job has been outsourced is unfair, particularly since the management has already won the right to drastically cut severance for people who are let go for cause," they said.
"Demanding that laid-off employees waive their legal rights to receive severance payments is an extreme demand and an ominous one particularly in light of the Post's mixed record on fair treatment for women, racial minorities and older employees," the employees said.
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