Detroit Newspapers End Bitter Strike

Detroit’s daily newspapers accepted a back-to-work offer from their striking employees Wednesday, pronouncing an end to a bitter 19-month walkout that divided one of America’s staunchest union towns. But the dispute appeared far from over.

Union leaders charged that the newspapers’ plans to rehire employees as openings become available amount to a rejection of their back-to-work offer.

They said they would ask the National Labor Relations Board to seek an injunction forcing the reinstatement of all workers who want to return to The Detroit News, the Detroit Free Press and Detroit Newspapers Inc., which runs the papers’ business and production operations under a joint operating agreement.

In the meantime, the unions said former strikers who want to go back to work will return as the companies contact them about openings, and a company spokeswoman said people could begin returning to work next week.