In The News
Labor Press triumphs in major journalism contest
On Oct. 6, a dumbfounded editor, Noth, was presented with a Congressional Record citation applauding the Labor Press awards by a suprise guest at the council's monthly delegate meeting, Rep. Gwen Moore.
In the most intense and prestigious North American contest for all labor publications, the Milwaukee Labor Press has won the most multiple first place awards in history.
The International Labor Communications Association, which annually hires judges to evaluate hundreds of labor print and electronic media publications in all categories and sizes, announced in late August that editor Dominique Paul Noth and the Labor Press had taken several prizes, among them (with judges’ commentary when available):
First Place, General Excellence among all state and central council publications. The judges examined two contiguous issues of each publication to determine the top winner and praised the Labor Press for "Quirky and interesting writing, sometimes with a sense of humor, on a variety of subjects from workplace to social justice to social issues. Takes on larger issues well. Makes its points without being preachy. Good headlines. Good use of photos.”
First Place General Excellence Internet among all labor websites. The award went to www.MilwaukeeLabor.org, created by the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, publisher of Labor Press, with news, event and Take Action content from Noth, who is also communications director for the council. The website also adds his original Internet stories to an archive of Labor Press publications dating back five years.
Saul Miller Awards – First Place, best political action story among all international, national and other labor organizations. Named after a pioneer labor journalist (as are all the top ILCA awards), the honor went to last December’s examination of the health care debate: “"Heeding the Human Cost."
Noth commented in an interview that the diverse opinions of union and community members in the paper’s extensive coverage of a no-holds-barred forum on health legislation led to the prestigious Saul Miller prize. The judges cited the story as “Well-written, heartfelt -- debunks the opposition's argument attacking the need for health reform.”
Another third place award for special performance (best editorial or column) went to the Labor Press for "City Should Sink Its Own Breed of Water Pirates" with the judges noting, “Privatization of public services is an issue of significant importance to labor unions across the country. Noth highlights a very local example -- the proposed privatization of Milwaukee's water system -- to make the case (humorously) that such short-term money grabs will be financially detrimental in the long run."
Though never this many top prizes all at once, Labor Press has won several awards over the years in the ILCA contests, most recently the top prize among all publications, the Max Steinbock Award in 2007, for Noth’s story about artist Terese Agnew and her tapestry started in Milwaukee that went to New York exhibit.
Labor Press also came in first for excellence this year in a regional contest among labor publications run by the Midwest Labor Press Association.
Labor council delegates in September greeted the news of the awards with applause and voted to send Noth to Washington, D.C., to attend the ILCA awards ceremony in November.