A subsidiary of Block Communications, Inc., which owns the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, is buying the Pittsburgh City Paper from the publisher of the Butler Eagle.

The Butler Eagle’s publisher, Eagle Media, acquired the alternative weekly paper in March 2016 from Steel City Media.

All employees of the City Paper will be retained and “the company will ensure that the City Paper will operate autonomously,” the companies said in a statement.

The deal is expected to close this month. Terms were not disclosed.

The acquisition is happening at a time of labor strife at the Post-Gazette. Unions representing employees at the publication have been on strike since October to call attention to what they call unfair labor practices at the company.

The Butler Eagle has been publishing Post-Gazette newspapers during the strike.

“We have learned over time that the City Paper wasn’t a good fit for our business and trying to manage a Pittsburgh publication from a distance just wasn’t working,” said Ron Vodenichar, president and publisher of the Butler Eagle.

Cars Holding, Inc., the Block subsidiary buying the City Paper, “stepped up with their offer at the right time and saved the publication from a potential closing and saved the jobs of the employees,” Vodenichar said.

Allan Block, chairman and CEO of Block Communications said in a statement, “We believe in the need for independent journalism and are happy to further our commitment to the city of Pittsburgh and, specifically, to support this well-established entertainment and alternative news publication.”

The unions that represent Post-Gazette employees on strike include the Communications Workers of America Locals 14842 and 14827, Teamsters Local 205/211 and Pressmen’s Union Local 24M/9N and The Newspaper Guild-CWA Local 38061.

They say they have been working without a contract since 2017 and have not received a pay raise in the past 16 years. They also say that management made unilateral changes to their health care plan and has not bargained in good faith.

“It’s despicable that in the middle of a strike they go out and buy an independent voice in Pittsburgh media that’s been reporting on this,” said Zack Tanner, Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh president. “That’s really frustrating.”

Privately held Block Communications also runs The Blade in Toledo, Ohio, as well as cable television, broadband and other media operations.

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