About Us
Union news since 1891
The history of America’s oldest continually published labor newspaper
Max S. Hayes and Henry C. Long, both members of the Cleveland Typographical Union Local 53, invested $30 in the forerunner of The Labor Citizen and published the first edition of The Cleveland Citizen on Jan. 31, 1891.
After four months, the newspaper was adopted by the Cleveland Central Labor Union, which financed its publication in exchange for free distribution to members of its affiliated Local Unions.
In 1910, Hayes regained full ownership of The Citizen and, for the next 30 years, was assisted first by Robert Bandlow and later by David H. Jenkins, who served as the paper’s business managers.
Tragically, Hayes suffered a stroke in 1940 and was forced to relinquish control of the Citizen to his son-in-law, Albert I. (Bert) Davey, who ran the paper for the next 37 years. He was aided by Elizabeth Fanz, who became Business Manager in 1945 and Davey’s second wife, after the death of Maxine Hayes Davey in 1975.
Cleveland Build Trades Purchases The Cleveland Citizen in 1977
The Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council purchased The Cleveland Citizen from Davey in 1977 and appointed William G. Obbagy editor under the supervision of a nine-member board.
The Ohio Labor Citizen
In 1998, the CBCTC founded a sister publication named The Ohio Labor Citizen
In 1998, the CBCTC founded a sister publication named The Ohio Labor Citizen. Almost 15 years later, the CBCTC Executive Board voted to merge The Cleveland Citizen and The Ohio Labor Citizen into a single publication for both subscription bases called, The Labor Citizen.
The CBCTC Executive Board then hired Ohio-based BMA Media Group to produce the new publication. The Labor Citizen transitioned to a full-color redesigned format and made its debut in June 2013.
Over the course of 123 years, The Cleveland Citizen published 4,948 issues.
The Labor Citizen Mission
the same as it was over 130 years ago
The Labor Citizen is a full-color publication mailed monthly to affiliated members of subscribing building trades unions in Ohio and is not intended for the general public. It is printed on a union-staffed printing press in Canton, Ohio.
A niche paper with articles focusing on the union construction industry in Ohio:
- The start or completion of notable projects
- Issues that affect the union construction industry such as Prevailing Wage, So-Called “Right to Work,” Project Labor Agreements/Community Benefit Agreements, training, safety, etc.
- Industry news and trends
- Special Events
- Political issues and elections
- Special themed sections focused on union issues
About BMA Media Group
BMA Media is a union agency signatory with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – IBEW Local 673, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades – IUPAT District Council 6 and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. As members of the building trades, BMA’s experienced and professional staff understands the union construction industry and its related topics that are important to tradesmen and tradeswomen in Ohio.