Earlier this month we lost Jane McAlevey, who inspired so many Guild members to do the hard work of No Shortcuts, her book and training that taught us:
- The power to win is in the community, not the boardroom.
- A strong union is built through strong one-on-one connections between rank-and-file workers.
- Chart and map out workplaces. Really understand worker sentiment.
- Build structure tests.
- Open up bargaining.
- Escalate to super majority collective actions, including strikes.
I met Jane a few years ago here in Washington, D.C. She had an analytical mind and an internal motor that was always trying to think of ways to support the labor movement, taking things back to the basics in every campaign.
Several Guild members wrote obituaries and I want to highlight them here.
“Ms. McAlevey (pronounced MACK-a-leevee) dedicated her life to increasing working-class power. She believed that worker-driven unions — led from the bottom up rather from the top down — were the most effective engines to combat economic inequality.” New York Times, by Margot Roosevelt, former reporter at the L.A. Times.
“She would tell us, you need to be able to hear people, listen to their story — their struggles, their concerns,” Norma Leiva told Suhauna Hussain at the L.A. Times. “That’s how you can understand them and come together. She showed us how to build power. Big corporations aren’t going to be able to define what we can do, if we join together and we have a voice together.”
“We are always in a class war, but sometimes it felt like Jane was one of the few people who acted like it. Urgent, direct, no bullshit: that was Jane, the master organizer and negotiator and communicator and strategist.” Jacobin, Alex Press
“Jane McAlevey’s biggest impact on newsroom unions was through her advocacy for open bargaining, where workers not only get to watch but actually participate in the negotiations for their own collective bargaining agreements, a practice now widespread in The NewsGuild-CWA, one of the fastest-growing private-sector unions in America,” wrote Matt Pearce, president of the Media Guild of the West.
Jane led a free six-week international training program called Organizing for Power. And it’s continuing this January. Sign up now. Let’s honor Jane’s memory by continuing to build on her work by building our union in every workplace and in our communities.
On to all the work happening across our union.
Members at Ziff Davis averted a strike and settled a successor contract, locking in a $65,000 minimum and annual wage increases. They will get retro pay back to April and have an annual process for promotions. And, major news, they won language that says there will be no layoffs because of AI, forming a joint labor-management AI committee with reasonable advance notice of any new AI tools. There’s also a requirement that all AI-generated content must be labeled. Read more on NiemanLab.
Our members at Michigan United ratified their first contract. “We are proud of this victory,” said Danny Caracheo, the bargaining unit chair. “Through our CBA, we have codified the existing progressive policies that Michigan United already had in place and won new policies that will make Michigan United a more fair and equitable workplace.” Workers won a lot: $50,000 salary minimum, increasing pay by $2,000-$7,000 for most workers, more equitable severance and per diems, guaranteed wage increases, vision and dental insurance. AND, they won the largest list of holidays in likely any Guild contract ever. They get one week off in the summer and two off in the winter. And they get 15 holidays including Cesar Chavez Day, May Day, Juneteenth, Trans Day of Remembrance and more.
In Florida, journalists at The Palm Beach and Southwest Florida News Guild have reached a tentative agreement for their first collective bargaining agreement with Gannett after nearly FOUR years of negotiations. Highlights of the tentative agreement include: numerous improvements for the company’s journalists, including guaranteed raises for every member in each newsroom. The agreements also freeze healthcare premiums and locks in existing 401(k) matches for members at a time when healthcare costs are skyrocketing and Gannett has diminished its 401(k) match for non-union employees. The deal also includes enhanced protections against adoption of artificial intelligence and layoff protections for long term employees.
Also in Florida, journalists at the South Florida Sun Sentinel will hold a vote count on July 29. The guild is sharing testimonials on their social media accounts. Please follow and amplify!
Journalists at The Salt Lake Tribune, a non-profit newsroom, received voluntary recognition from management one week after going public with their campaign.
In a mission statement announcing the union, the Salt Lake News Guild, journalists note that ensuring a workplace with fair wages and working conditions will allow workers a voice in the future of their nonprofit newsroom.
“We believe The Tribune’s own mission is bolstered by a represented workforce, pioneering labor standards, equitable pay, adherence to the ethics of journalism and transparency imparted to employees and readers. We seek a seat at the table where decisions are made and a role in guiding our nonprofit journey.”
Workers at Common Cause, Duke University Press, Repair the World and RAICES all won first contracts in the past two weeks. All Washington-Baltimore NewsGuild shops, these contracts include tremendous gains for workers, including guaranteed wage increases, grievance and arbitration procedures, enhanced benefits, and more.
That marks more than 80 first contracts won in the last three years, a remarkable achievement! You can hear me talk about these contract victories and more on the latest episode of America’s Work Force Union podcast.
I also gave an update on our strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. We’re still striking 22 months in and your solidarity means so much as we wait for the National Labor Relations Board to file for an injunction. Please donate to support our striking members.
Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter detained by Russian authorities, was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a wrongful and baseless conviction. It’s a terrible decision and IAPE 1096, WSJ management and us all renew the call to get Evan back to the U.S. safely.
Speaking of the Wall Street Journal, on July 17, 2024 journalist Selina Cheng was terminated by the publication after she refused her supervisor’s request to withdraw from an election in Hong Kong’s leading media professional group. Cheng was told she was fired because of restructuring, but believes that the real reason was her election as chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, a trade union for journalists that advocates for press freedom.
IAPE TNG-CWA Local 1096 members have organized a petition to call on The Wall Street Journal to restore Cheng to her former position and to provide a full explanation for management’s decision to dismiss her. The Wall Street Journal should fight for press freedom and stand with journalists, as it is doing by fighting the unjust imprisonment of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia.
Finally, our members in Ohio are raising hell at Gannett for trying to eliminate workers’ current health insurance plan. Gannett wants to “force-feed these employees the employer’s inferior self-funded insurance plan – at an increased cost to Guild members.” At the same time Gannett is saying they don’t deserve a pay raise. Join me in sending a letter to support our members in Ohio at The Canton Repository, Massillon Independent and Alliance Review.