Detroit Free Press and Detroit News workers fighting for fair contracts

DETROIT (WJBK) - Some employees with the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News say they are fighting for a fair contract.

Back in 2010, the workers took a 6.5 percent pay cut. Now, these companies are profitable again and these workers are saying it's time to restore those cuts.

"The newspaper workers here at the Free Press and The News took a lot of sacrifices during the hard times to save these companies, and now that they're doing better, spending tens of million of dollars around the country in acquisitions, we think it's time to restore some of those past sacrifices here in Detroit. So, that's what we're asking for in a new contract," says John Gallagher, who is with the Detroit Free Press.

Although actual newspaper readership may be declining, Gallagher says their websites get millions of page views a day so they have more readers now than ever before.

"If you want good journalism in town, you need good journalists and you can't continue to cut and cut and cut," he says.

He says the company is also declining to pay any additional costs for healthcare.

Negotiations have been underway, and Gallagher says they go back to the table tomorrow.

Meanwhile, an informational picket will be held Wednesday at noon outside of their building, at 160 W. Fort Street in Detroit. Other unions are expected to join them to stand in solidarity.

This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 2 for updates.