Author: The NewsGuild-CWA

Contact:
Anna Reed / anna.e.reed@gmail.com / (402) 212-5901
Sandra Tan / santan716@gmail.com / (716) 390-7233

The Unions of Lee Enterprises, which represents unionized Lee newspapers across the country, is devoting this week to raising awareness at the local and national level about harmful strategies being taken by our parent media company. #LeeUnionsRaisingAwareness

Last week and this week, all but the largest-circulating newspapers in the Lee Enterprises newspaper chain began cutting print circulation to three days a week, with all print papers being delivered via U.S. mail. Meanwhile, Lee papers large and small continue to be subject to deep cuts to newsroom staffing and the outsourcing of local work to out-of-state and foreign hubs.

The coalition is issued a statement, coordinating local public awareness campaigns and making its union leaders across the country available for interviews. 

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The Unions of Lee Enterprises represents all unionized NewsGuild members at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; The Buffalo News; the Omaha World-Herald; the Richmond Times-Dispatch; the Roanoke Times; the Billings Gazette; the Casper Star-Tribune; the Sioux City Journal; the Charlottesville Daily Progress; the Kenosha News; The Daily News in Longview, Wash.; and the Southern Illinoisan. Follow the Unions of Lee Enterprises on Twitter @LeeUnions.

Lee Enterprises is a media chain based in Davenport, Iowa. It owns daily newspapers, as well as nearly 350 weekly and specialty publications in 26 states, according to its website.

122-0.

Amazing. Simply amazing.

In a historic vote, members of the Dallas News Guild who work at The Dallas Morning News approved a new 3-year contract.

It took almost 900 days of bargaining with Dallas Morning News executives. The negotiating sessions concluded several weeks ago, after a long day of mediation. Both sides finally came together.

Continue reading “Journalists at Dallas Morning News ratify first contract”

On Thursday, more than 370 workers in the Los Angeles Times newsroom sent a letter to management calling out the company’s attempt to lay off 74 workers, including 57 Guild-covered workers on the copy desk, web desk, photo desk, production desks and elsewhere. Leaders from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) and the Latino Journalists of California CCNMA quickly jumped in and called out Times’ management.

Your handling of this proposed layoff sends a clear message to the newsroom: You don’t care about the contract, and you don’t care about us.

We’re willing to do whatever it takes to win the contract that this newsroom deserves. You should be too. Starting now, we need to see a senior newsroom leader at every bargaining session — not just observing, but participating. Show us that you want to make progress. Show us that you care.

L.A. Times Guild letter to management

Journalists, part of the Media Guild of the West TNG-CWA Local 39213, were in negotiations with management over the attempted layoffs Thursday. Several leaders pointed out that the layoffs predominantly targeted journalists of color.

Continue reading “NAHJ, SPJ, AAJA, CCNMA join L.A. Times Guild in decrying management’s attempt lay off workers, including many journalists of color”

Late Thursday the White House offered support for NewsGuild-CWA members who have been on unfair labor strikes across the United States in recent days. Hundreds of workers have been on strike at different outlets including Insider, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and two dozen Gannett newsrooms.

In a statement provided exclusively to the Insider Union’s strike publication Business Outsider, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre threw the administration’s support behind recent newsroom unfair labor practice strikes breaking out in local newsrooms and digital outlets.

Continue reading “White House stands with striking Guild members at Insider, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Gannett”

Yesterday a majority of eligible MLex and FTCWatch workers voted 13-0 to form the MLex Guild, a unit of the Washington-Baltimore News Guild and part of the Communications Workers of America. MLex Guild is comprised of workers in Washington, San Francisco and New York.

After about six months of organizing, the MLex Guild in April formally announced its intention to form a union, with 100 percent support from eligible members.

Continue reading “MLex and FTCWatch workers unanimously vote to unionize”

Contact: Matt Pearce president@mediaguildwest.org

California’s journalists strongly condemned Meta’s threat to ban news on platforms like Facebook and Instagram if the California Journalism Preservation Act (AB 886) becomes law. The bill, which faces a likely Assembly vote on Thursday, would charge large platforms like Meta and Google parent Alphabet for scraping journalism for their platforms. The revenue would then be portioned out to publishers and broadcasters with a requirement that at least 70% of the revenue go directly to supporting newsroom jobs. 

“This is a corporate bullying tactic timed to intimidate California lawmakers the day before they take up this bill on the Assembly floor,” said Matt Pearce, a reporter at the Los Angeles Times and president of Media Guild of the West. “The California Journalism Preservation Act is a good bill, designed to strengthen local journalism in California, and it deserves civil debate, not threats of censorship.” 

Continue reading “Journalist unions condemn Meta’s threat to remove local news from platforms”

In a major victory for journalists and media workers, funding for hedge fund Standard General’s takeover of local news broadcaster TEGNA expires while deal is under review due to concerns about its impact on jobs

Washington, D.C. — Thanks to the dedication of members and leaders at the Communications Workers of America (CWA), civil rights groups, and consumer advocates fighting against the financialization of local news, the effort of hedge fund Standard General and its private equity partner Apollo Global Management to take over local news broadcaster TEGNA appears to have failed. 

Late Monday TEGNA announced it was terminating its merger agreement with Standard General and stands to receive a $136 million breakup fee. 

Continue reading “Unions, public interest advocates thwart hedge fund’s attempted takeover of local news and set groundbreaking FCC precedent  “

NEW YORK – The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America today sent a letter to Gannett shareholders urging a vote of no-confidence against CEO Mike Reed at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on June 5. The NewsGuild-CWA represents more than 50 Gannett bargaining units, covering more than 1,000 employees. 

The letter warns that Reed’s actions are jeopardizing the financial future of the company, underlining that the hollowing out of newsrooms was tainting the company’s reputation, turning off subscribers, forcing out talented staff, and creating legal risks by hampering proper vetting of stories. 

Continue reading “Guild calls on Gannett shareholders to vote against CEO Mike Reed at annual meeting”

Job Title/Position: TNG-CWA Senior Campaign Lead
Salary Range: $96,097.59 — $124,430.96 Salary/year

A Senior Campaign Lead may be employed in support of an organizing, political or legislative campaign or another CWA-led movement building project. The Senior Campaign lead must be able to direct and lead a broad campaign. The position would report to the appropriate Administrative Staff.

Job Qualifications:

• At least a bachelor’s degree in relevant field or equivalent relevant experience.
• Have at least 5 years of demonstrated campaign experience in either worker organizing, political or legislative work, corporate campaigns and/or movement building.
• Have demonstrated commitment to economic and social justice and the labor movement.
• Have advanced communications skills, both verbal and written
• Willingness to work long, irregular hours and may involve travel away from home/office.

Job Responsibilities:

• Plan, develop and prioritize strategy and tactics, analyzing what is effective
• Leads and directs campaign work
• Develop and manage a campaign budget
• Identify and work with CWA Locals and community partners
• Write and fully communicate a campaign plan and develop campaign metrics
• Will be accountable for all aspects of the campaign and work to objectives/metrics, directing the work of others towards these goals and producing regular reports
• Develop training materials and train locals, staff and community partners
• Responsible for six (6) month campaign evaluation
• Other duties as assigned

Job Specifications:

• Wages: $96,097.59 – $124,430.96 Annually (Effective 10/1/2022)
• Benefits and other terms as per described in the Memorandum of Agreement.
• This position will not be used to replace regular full time CWA Staff Representatives or District Organizing Coordinators or in lieu of hiring regular full time staff for permanent positions/vacancies.

To Apply:
If you feel you have the background and experience to qualify for this position and wish to apply for it, outline your qualifications and submit a letter of interest online at Apply Here.

CWA is an equal opportunity employer, and, as such, does not discriminate an employee or applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, disability, or any other classification protected from discrimination under applicable law.