FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2025
Contact: connecticutnewsguild@gmail.com
CONNECTICUT – Reporters, photographers, editors and digital producers working for Connecticut’s largest print/digital news organization have voted overwhelmingly to form a union with The NewsGuild-CWA, joining newsrooms around the country by claiming a voice in decisions about their working conditions, pay, protections against unfair discipline and more.
The Connecticut News Guild only needed a simple majority to win our NLRB election. We far surpassed that: Of the 85 ballots counted, 80% (or 68 total) voted ‘YES’ to a seat at the bargaining table with Hearst.
With this display of solidarity and hope for the future of local journalism, we’re excited to begin bargaining a contract together that improves working conditions for all of us and future HCMG journalists, including our colleagues who didn’t vote or voted ‘no.’ The vote comes more than nine months after Hearst Connecticut staff first announced their union drive.
Hearst must now begin bargaining a contract with the union in good faith, without delay or appeal.
“Good unions make for good journalism, and good journalism is a foundation of a free and open society,” said Ethan Fry, a breaking news reporter. “I’m so thrilled that my colleagues and I affirmed our commitment to forming a union — the first one I am fortunate enough to be a member of after more than 20 years in the profession. I look forward to meeting management to bargain for a fair contract that ensures good local journalism in Connecticut for years to come.”
Hearst has challenged the eligibility of 18 people to be included in the Connecticut News Guild bargaining unit. We believe most of these employees are eligible for union representation, and will now fight to ensure they are included in the unit.
As Hearst Newspapers has continued to acquire news outlets across the state, including the purchase in early 2025 of the Republican-American, both new and longtime staff have felt the effects of this growth and consolidation including shifting job responsibilities and requirements that they report to offices far from the communities they cover. Meanwhile, wages have not grown with the rate of inflation and remain inconsistent with the cost of living in Connecticut.
“It’s so thrilling to see the overwhelming support from our colleagues in our union drive over the past year finally pay off today,” said Joe Tucci, a reporter and digital producer. “With our united workforce, I believe that we will be able to work together to build a fair, supportive and comfortable workplace for everyone.”
All journalists in Connecticut, both at Hearst Connecticut Media Group and outside of it, should earn a living wage to keep doing the vital work of serving our audiences and communities. In addition to being inspired by the bravery and solidarity shown by our own members over the last 10 months, the members of the Connecticut News Guild are honored to be following the example set by our fellow journalists in Connecticut and around the country.
This includes the Hartford Courant Guild, which last year ratified its first union contract alongside seven other Tribune publications, and the S.F. Chronicle/SFGATE Guild, which has long fought for our fellow Hearst Newspapers employees in California and ratified their most recent contract in 2023. More recently, in March, we cheered on journalists at three newspapers in New Jersey who voted to ratify their first contract with Gannett.
We are available to answer any questions via email at connecticutnewsguild@gmail.com.
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About the Connecticut NewsGuild
The Connecticut News Guild represents more than 100 non-supervisory employees at Hearst Connecticut, including reporters, producers, photographers, and editors. Members work across the company’s newspapers and digital platforms, including the Connecticut Post, New Haven Register, Waterbury Republican-American, Meriden Record-Journal, Danbury News-Times, the Stamford Advocate, Greenwich Time, the Norwalk Hour and the statewide site CT Insider. The Guild is committed to defending quality local journalism, advocating for fair working conditions, and strengthening the voice of media workers across Connecticut.
About The NewsGuild-CWA
The NewsGuild-CWA is the largest union of journalists and other communications employees in North America, representing more than 27,000 workers in the U.S. and Canada. The NewsGuild is a sector of the Communications Workers of America, which represents employees in telecommunications and information technology, the airline industry, broadcast and cable television, health care, public service and education, law enforcement, manufacturing and other fields.