From the Washington Post:

Charles A. Perlik Jr., 84, who as president of the Newspaper Guild from 1969 to 1987 pushed the union to endorse presidential candidates and worked to end discrimination in the news industry, died Sept. 17 of pulmonary failure at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

He was a Falls Church resident before moving to a Springfield retirement community in recent years.

Mr. Perlik was secretary-treasurer of the Newspaper Guild for 14 years before becoming its longest-serving president. During his final years in office, he helped lead the guild into a merger with the larger and more powerful Communications Workers of America. The guild now represents more than 33,000 reporters, editors and photographers nationwide.