Unionized newsroom staff at Embarcadero Media Foundation, a Silicon Valley-based media nonprofit, have won their first contract in a deal that gives members higher salaries and a pay scale that compensates workers for prior experience, improved healthcare benefits and job protections.
Embarcadero Community News Guild, which represents 20 reporters, editors, designers and photo staff, overwhelmingly voted to ratify their three-year contract on Oct. 8. Signed on the eve of the three-year anniversary of the union’s voluntary recognition, the deal follows nearly a year and a half of negotiations.
“This deal is the result of countless hours of work from former and current members and staff at Pacific Media Workers Guild, and we’re proud to see these long sought-after benefits and protections being implemented for our newsroom,” said Julia Brown, Embarcadero Community News Guild chair and a member of the union’s bargaining committee.
Highlights from the deal include:
Wages
- A median 10% increase, which helps address longtime pay disparities
- 2% guaranteed annual raises, with additional raises based on annual performance review
Job security
- Just cause job security protections, guaranteeing members’ rights to due process and representation should management decide to discipline or terminate them
- Up to 12 weeks severance pay
Health insurance
- Vision coverage for the first time
- A 10% increase in the company’s coverage of insurance premiums for employees with less than two years of service
AI
- The inclusion of guild members in setting AI policies
- Employees are protected from having to use AI tools in a manner that conflicts with professional ethics, legal standards, journalistic goals or AI policies
The contract is the culmination of four years of organizing for better pay and benefits, working conditions and job protections. The union is affiliated with Pacific Media Workers Guild-CWA, Local 39521.
“Local news is more important than ever, and our contract protects the reporters, editors, designers and photographers who form the backbone of our newsroom and keep our communities informed,” said bargaining committee member Riley Cooke, who reports for the Palo Alto Weekly.
Based in Palo Alto, California, Embarcadero Media Foundation includes seven news publications and two lifestyle publications: Palo Alto Weekly, Mountain View Voice, The Almanac, Redwood City Pulse, Pleasanton Weekly, Livermore Vine, DanvilleSanRamon.com, Peninsula Foodist and The Six Fifty.
You can follow the workers on social media at @EMNewsGuild.