ProPublica workers voted 92% to authorize a strike if management does not agree to a fair contract that includes job security protections, ethical guardrails around the use of AI and wage increases to keep up with the rising cost of living.
Journalists and other workers at the largest nonprofit newsroom in the United States organized their union and joined the NewsGuild of New York more than two-and-a-half years ago. They’re still fighting for a fair contract to continue to do important, award-winning investigative journalism. Our members held practice pickets in several cities last month, including New York and Austin. I joined about half a dozen workers in downtown D.C. chanting and marching for respect on the job.
A whopping 99% of our members participated in the vote to authorize the strike in March. Management has refused to agree to just cause job protections and guardrails around AI replacing jobs.
“We are ready to walk off the job to show management that their refusal to agree to basic protections will not be tolerated and that we will not accept anything less than a fair contract,” said Agnel Philip, a data reporter and unit chair of ProPublica Guild.
You can support your colleagues at ProPublica by telling management that you’ll honor the digital picket line if workers go on strike.
A U.S. appeals court affirmed our injunction against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, making it clear that federal agents cannot assault journalists, peaceful protestors and legal observers.
We joined a lawsuit in June against DHS and then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem filed by the ACLU of Southern California with the Los Angeles Press Club, journalists, legal observers and others.
The court recognized an “avalanche” of evidence that supported the claim that journalists, legal observers and protesters were subjected to retaliatory force by federal agents and noted “a chilling effect” on the exercise of constitutionally protected freedoms.
“Peaceful protests and a free press sit at the core of our democracy,” wrote U.S. Circuit Court Judge Ronald M. Gould in the opinion issued Wednesday. “In light of the First Amendment to our Constitution, the government cannot properly silence the People or the Press simply because the government disagrees with public protests, demonstrations, press reporting, or other speech criticizing the government.”
We joined our union family and other organizations to block Nexstar’s takeover of TEGNA, in a lawsuit appealing the largest broadcast merger in the history of the United States.
The Guild joined NABET-CWA, parent union the Communications Workers of America, Free Press, the United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry, Inc., Public Knowledge and several broadcasters in a lawsuit and motion for emergency stay against the Federal Communications Commission approval of Nexstar Media Group’s takeover of TEGNA, Inc.
In 2023, we successfully fought a hedge fund takeover of the local news broadcaster TEGNA, blowing up a more than $8-billion-dollar deal that would have seen a massive hedge fund control dozens of stations across the U.S.
We also joined a statement with NABET-CWA condemning Nexstar’s acquisition of TEGNA after the FCC approved the merger. We’ll keep fighting consolidation in the industry.
Our friends at the National Writers Union are hosting a virtual panel on how media monopolies like Nexstar-TEGNA enable authoritarianism and endanger democracy. We’re co-hosting the panel at 7 p.m. ET Monday, April 27. The discussion will include Matt Pearce, the former Media Guild of the West local president, and Victor Pickard, among others. Register here.
New Mexico Governor signed landmark legislation to support local journalism and newspaper printing operations statewide. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham established two tax credits in the state, the Local Journalist Employment Tax Credit and the Local News Printer Tax Credit.
The new law will help local newsrooms retain and hire journalists by providing a tax credit tied to newsroom employment, and help sustain in-state printing infrastructure that many community newspapers rely on to reach New Mexicans.
The NewsGuild has supported similar legislation in New York and Illinois. New York opened applications for tax credits supporting journalist jobs earlier this year. And in 2025, Illinois awarded $4 million in tax credits supporting 260 journalists jobs across more than 120 outlets statewide. The Guild is a supporting member of the Rebuild Local News coalition that championed the legislation in both New York and Illinois.
SPJ considers the first ethics code update in 12 years and is inviting feedback from both the public and journalists. The Society of Professional Journalists marks the 100th anniversary of its influential Code of Ethics and launched a survey for journalists, students, educators and media workers on how the Code is used in practice.
I encourage all Guild and SPJ members to complete the survey by April 12th and demand stronger ethical protections around the use of artificial intelligence.
Five McClatchy Media newsrooms in the Pacific Northwest are fighting for fair wages and are asking for public support against the New Jersey hedge fund-owned company.
Guild members at the Tacoma News Tribune, Bellingham Herald, Tri-City Herald, The Olympian and the Idaho Statesman have joined together to protect local journalism from an out-of-state corporation that is refusing to offer a wage floor above $48,000. More than 75% of journalists in Idaho and Washington make less than their area’s stable household wages. Meanwhile, McClatchy has demanded 20% more stories and 50% more video productions while offering only 2% annual raises.
Will you help me send a letter to McClatchy executives demanding fair wages for local journalists? Send yours now!
Are you ready to lead at the bargaining table? Our Member Bargainer Bootcamp starts April 16th! In the last decade, the organizing program has brought over 13,000 new members into our union from about 300 workplaces. The need for highly trained members who can support bargaining campaigns is urgent!
This five-module training will include in-depth review of the stages of bargaining, table tactics, legal issues and campaign strategy. Participants are required to attend all of the classes listed below and actively participate in the group homework:
Module 1: Thursday, April 16th, 7:30-9:30pm ET
Module 2: Thursday, April 30th, 7:30-9:30pm ET
Module 3: Thursday, May 14th, 7:30-9:30pm ET
Module 4: Thursday, May 28th, 7:30-9:30pm ET
Module 5: Thursday, June 11th, 7:30-9:30pm ET
Apply here by April 7, 2026.
The News Media Guild is hiring a Deputy Executive Director located in New York City. Salary range is $90,000 – $110,000. See the full job listing here.
In Solidarity,
Jon Schleuss
President, The NewsGuild-CWA