MADISON, Wis. — Reporters at The Cap Times announced April 30 they have formed a union and are seeking voluntary recognition from newspaper management. The Cap Times News Guild includes all of the news organization’s reporters, making up the entirety of union eligible workers on staff.
Members of the Cap Times News Guild organizing committee presented Cap Times President and Publisher Paul Fanlund, Editor Mark Treinen and other members of Cap Times management with a request for voluntary recognition after 100% of eligible editorial staff signed authorization cards, signaling their desire to be recognized as members of the newspaper’s union.
In the Cap Times News Guild’s mission statement, reporters wrote: “Our union believes that in-depth, accountability journalism that serves the community starts by building that same accountability within. We want to construct the systems that propel the values we hope journalism can create in our community: transparency, fairness and diversity.”
“As a Madisonian and the only Black reporter in the newsroom, I have a lot of respect for the Cap Times newspaper, and I value the chance to do quality community journalism,” said Cap Times Local Government Reporter Enjoyiana Nururdin. “Unionizing empowers us as a newsroom to ensure we are employing the best journalism practices for our community and beyond. This is an opportunity to strengthen our press corps.”
The Cap Times has a long and storied history of providing a pro-labor voice for the Madison community since its inception more than 100 years ago. The Cap Times News Guild urges newspaper management to honor the paper’s legacy of support for labor movements by voluntarily recognizing its own staff’s right to unionize.
“I have been part of a unionized newsroom in the past and have seen the good they can do not only for the reporters they represent, but also for the community that relies on them for reliable, quality journalism,” said Olivia Herken, the Cap Times state government and politics reporter. “I believe this union will be a positive force to further the Cap Times’ mission and all the wonderful work already being done by our talented staff.”
Add your name: Voluntarily Recognize Cap Times Journalists
The Cap Times News Guild is affiliated with The NewsGuild-CWA, the largest union for journalists and other news workers in North America.
Please direct all media requests to ctnewsguild@gmail.com
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