Based on a review of the latest collective bargaining agreements, the 2023 per capita payment due to The NewsGuild-CWA is $24.13, based off a calculation of the average reporter top minimum wage. See all wages here. Review the constitution here.
New York Times staffers protest shareholders meeting, Washington Post workers walk out at lunch
On Wednesday, workers at the New York Times and the Washington Post engaged in collective actions, mobilizing hundreds of workers demanding fair contracts. Both groups called on newsroom management to get to the negotiating table and agree to contracts raising minimum pay immediately.
“We are all worthy of fair pay, no matter what our title is,” said Katie Mettler, vice president at the Washington-Baltimore News Guild and a Post reporter covering police, courts and incarceration in Maryland. “We are worthy of fair pay no matter our race or gender or identity.”
“We’ve been bargaining for nine months and the company still has not given us a thorough and fair wage proposal,” said Kathleen Floyd, a steward at the Post who works in public relations for the company.
Hundreds of workers gathered in Franklin Park in downtown Washington, D.C. across the street from the Washington Post’s main newsroom. Other workers walked out during lunch across the country.
Around the same time in New York, hundreds of New York Times workers rallied at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, calling on the company to reach an agreement and consider the proposals of about 2,000 unionized workers at the company.
Their demands:
- Drop the givebacks you are demanding from The Times Guild in contract negotiations at a time of overwhelming financial success for the company.
- Agree to just cause with no exceptions for The Times Tech Guild’s first contract and all future contracts with Guild units, and stop firing workers without cause.
- Reappropriate the funds needed to close the gap between The Times Guild’s contract proposals and the company’s, which amounts to less than $15 million — a mere fraction of the $400 million in stock buybacks that has been authorized to go to shareholders.
- Discuss the contributions of Guild members to the success of the company and how you plan to recognize them in a manner that upholds the values of the company.
- Commit to regular, frequent bargaining sessions with all Guild units in negotiations.
- Reach an agreement on a new contract with The Times Guild without further delay.
The actions occurred just two days after hundreds of workers at Insider walked off the job for a day, protesting layoffs threatened by the company.
Hundreds of Insider workers walk out in protest of proposed layoffs
More than 250 media workers at Insider Inc. struck for one day on Monday, protesting the company’s proposal to lay off 60 Guild-represented journalists, eliminating 20 percent of the bargaining unit and significantly reducing the size of the award-winning newsroom.
Insider management proposed the sweeping cuts last Thursday, April 20th, as part of a plan to reduce staff while still bargaining for a first contract with Insider Union. Insider Union members are represented by The NewsGuild of New York.
“Our unit was shocked and infuriated when management told us they wanted to lay off 60 of our coworkers even though there’s no urgent financial need for these cuts,” said Emma LeGault, Insider Union Unit Chair. “The company seemingly wants to protect its own profits, but it is us, the workers, who are being asked to pay the price.”
“I’m proud of the work I do for Insider,” said April Joyner, an Insider Union shop steward and Insider Correspondent who is on management’s proposed list for layoff. “Hearing that the company wanted to eliminate my position with no financial urgency was really insulting. I’m proud to walk out with my colleagues and stand united in our fight.”
In April 2021, more than 300 employees at Insider announced they had formed a union of workers across editorial, including reporters, editors, producers and designers. Insider Union was officially certified by the National Labor Relations Board the following June after the workers voted 241-14 in favor of unionization. The workers are still fighting for their first contract.
“Insider management is attempting to undermine the bargaining process by proposing staffing cuts while refusing to agree to fair and reasonable layoff language, wage increases, and newsroom protections for the journalists who are central to the company’s success,” said Susan DeCarava, President of The NewsGuild of New York. “Insider Union members are demanding that the company bargain in good faith and rescind the effort to push their colleagues out of the newsroom. We are demanding a fair contract that will make Insider the best it can be for everyone.”
Attempting to do layoffs before a first contract is reached is illegal under U.S. labor law.
California guilds submit letter of support for the California Journalism Preservation Act
Two of California’s largest journalism unions submitted a joint letter of support for the California Journalism Preservation Act (AB 886, Wicks) on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
This marks the first time that trade unions representing American journalists are supporting a bill that seeks to level the economic playing field between massive tech platforms and news publishers.
Continue reading “California guilds submit letter of support for the California Journalism Preservation Act”
Employees of financial watchdog nonprofit Private Equity Stakeholder Project form new staff union
Media Contact:
Matt Parr, Private Equity Stakeholder Project Staff Union
PESPcoordinators@gmail.com
773-234-4855
On Wednesday, April 19, the staff of the Private Equity Stakeholder Project announced the formation of a union within the Denver Newspaper Guild (TNG-CWA Local 37074), part of Communications Workers of America – District 7 (CWA). The PESP Staff Union (PESP-SU) is now seeking voluntary recognition from the nonprofit organization.
The 11 employees represent all aspects of PESP’s work activities, supporting nationally-recognized research and campaigns to pull back the curtain on the scope and negative effects of the private equity industry. With the formation of this union, PESP staff look to join the movement of other mission-driven nonprofit organizations that recognize the importance and solidarity of unionized workplaces. Through collective bargaining, these nonprofits, including PESP, can commit to fair and equitable working conditions for employees, while also enhancing the services they provide to marginalized communities across the country.
Continue reading “Employees of financial watchdog nonprofit Private Equity Stakeholder Project form new staff union”
Bay Area Journalists at nonprofit Cityside announce union campaign
This week workers at Cityside — a nonprofit journalism outlet devoted to covering the Bay Area through two local news sites, Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside — announced their intention to organize as part of the Pacific Media Workers Guild.
With unanimous support of their membership, the Cityside Guild is seeking voluntary recognition from their management.
The Pacific Media Workers Guild (TNG-CWA Local 39521) is helping the workers organize as they build power in their workplace.
Continue reading “Bay Area Journalists at nonprofit Cityside announce union campaign”
MLex employees form union, seek voluntary recognition from LexisNexis
MLex and FTCWatch employees across the US came together and formed a union, and are now seeking voluntary recognition as MLex Guild from LexisNexis and its parent company, RELX.
MLex Guild, more than 20 workers at MLex and FTCWatch, will be a unit of the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, part of the Communications Workers of America, and is comprised of employees based in Washington, San Francisco and New York.
Continue reading “MLex employees form union, seek voluntary recognition from LexisNexis”
Guild’s pension fund looks for assistant
Applications must be received no later than April 30, 2023.
The NewsGuild International Pension Fund, Secretary I
Reports to: TNGIPF Assistant to the Trustees
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: The NewsGuild-CWA, 501 Third St. NW, 6th floor, Washington, DC
Overview
This position supports the administration of The Newspaper Guild International Pension Fund (TNGIPF). The Secretary performs general office duties and clerical functions and supports the other staff members. Currently the position may be performed remotely two days per week, subject to change in the future.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Answer all TNGIPF telephone calls, manage voice mail system, take messages, route calls and/or messages to appropriate individual
- Return routine calls to participants and determine specific participant requests, route requests to appropriate individual, follow up with participant as appropriate
- Monitor TNGIPF email account and assist with all routine email correspondence
- Maintain detailed tracking of all communications (letters, phone calls, email) to participants
- Maintain participant records, updating information in the system when notified of changes
- Post remittance reports in the TNGIPF pension system
- Prepare and send routine correspondence and monthly mailings as directed
- Assist with preparing materials for board of trustee meetings
- Manage all incoming mail, sorting and routing as appropriate
- File backlog of paper records and maintain files going forward, ensuring all documents are filed timely and correctly
- Other duties as assigned
Knowledge and Experience
- High school diploma or G.E.D.
- Two years general office experience
- Typing, with a minimum speed of 50 words per minute
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Google Sheets, and Gmail
- Demonstrated ability to learn new software and computer equipment as required by supervisor and as technology changes
- Demonstrated ability to work on a team as well as independently with little supervision
- Self-motivated, self-starter, while also being able to work in a team
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
- Excellent attention to detail
- Excellent organizational skills and prioritization capabilities
- Able to work with changing priorities while meeting established deadlines
Physical Demands
The physical demands described herein represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for long periods of time, use hands to handle or feel objects, writing instruments or keyboard controls, reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and stoop, kneel or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include both close and distance vision.
This is a union-covered position and the employee is represented by the Federation of Guild Representatives. Benefit and wage scale contractual provisions of the OPEIU Secretary I – Grade 7 apply to this position. Pension benefits are maintained with The Newspaper Guild International Pension Fund, and 401(k) benefits are through the CWA Savings and Retirement Trust.
Wage Scale as of March 2023
- Starting: $37,351.67
- 6 months $41,992.96
- 12 months $46,632.96
- 18 months $51,272.97
- 24 months $55,914.26
To Apply
Submit cover letter and résumé prior to April 30, 2023, to Scott Bush, TNGIPF, Assistant to the Trustees, at: sbush@cwa-union.org.
Editorial Workers at Gannett’s Reviewed.com Win Union Vote
The editorial staff at Reviewed, part of the USA Today Network, voted in a landslide today to be represented by the Boston Newspaper Guild, TNG-CWA Local 31245. The Reviewed Editorial Workers Union consists of 38 members across the country, including 15 reporting to the Reviewed offices in Cambridge, MA.
The success of this election came on the heels of an aggressive anti-union campaign carried out by management, resulting in a separate filing for the Reviewed Lab and Operations Workers Union as well as other attempts to divide the union, including voter challenges, targeted restructuring, and dubiously legal mid-election captive audience meetings which prompted the workers to file a ULP charge against Gannett.
“Our victory today is not just a validation of our organizing efforts, but a validation of the very concept of worker solidarity, too,” said Michael Desjardin, a senior staff writer. “For years, our dedicated, hardworking staff has shaped Reviewed’s continued success. Now, we’ve officially secured a seat at the bargaining table, securing a better future for Reviewed and strengthening solidarity across the entire Gannett network. We look forward to having our voices heard.”
“We welcome the official certification of our editorial worker-comrades’ union, which formalizes the unity and solidarity which we’ve been building underground for nearly a year,” said operations coordinator Sofia Tort. “Every day, we hear from our colleagues that the organizing work leading to this election has given them a sense of community and mutual support that they’d never seen at Reviewed. The victory we’ve won today, especially after the union busting that we’ve been faced with at every step of this campaign, demonstrates the strength of that unity. We’re now ready to advance towards our Lab and Operations election, and then the bargaining table, with redoubled confidence.”
Reviewed’s editorial workers include writers, editors, photographers, video producers, graphic designers, and social media specialists who contribute to the production, publication and circulation of product reviews and consumer reports. Their organizing effort went public with an NLRB election petition in December, 2022.
The announcement of their union effort was accompanied by a mission statement calling attention to a number of demands shared by members of Reviewed’s staff, from just-cause for terminations to the redress of current substandard wages and more, issues they blame for the high employee turnover Reviewed saw in 2021-22.
As senior editor Joanna Nelius put it, “Since we began organizing last year, we’ve lost some incredible colleagues to no-cause terminations, unjust layoffs, and general attrition as the poor compensation and working conditions we’ve faced at Reviewed made it harder and harder to stay. But our victory today goes to show that Reviewed’s staff, from those who have been here for years to those who just started with the company, are ready to unite to make sure that those conditions end here and to fight for a better workplace. We’ve seen that that is only possible when we’re organized as workers, and today our organization is finally legally recognized; I’m proud to now be a member of the Boston Newspaper Guild.”
The Reviewed Editorial Workers’ Union joins 48 other unionized Gannett workplaces around the country ready to fight for a fair and equitable contract for Reviewed and for every Gannett worker.
CWA, NewsGuild-CWA and NABET-CWA Applaud FCC’s Action on TEGNA Takeover
This afternoon, the Federal Communications Commission announced its Media Bureau has submitted Standard General’s attempted takeover of local news broadcaster TEGNA to an administrative law judge to review.
The hearing designation order is a strong indication that the staff agrees that there are clear issues with the takeover attempt. The move to refer the matter to an administrative law judge is rarely used by the FCC. Hedge fund Standard General first announced their plans to acquire TEGNA in February 2022. It’s an $8.6 billion deal and affects more than 60 local news stations across the U.S.
Today’s action shows that Standard General has failed to show that their takeover is in the public interest. In its order, the Media Bureau wrote, “based on the record before us, we are unable to find that grant of the applications would be consistent with the public interest.”
“Chairwoman Rosenworcel clearly recognizes that protecting the public interest means assessing the impact of media industry transactions on workers and on the health of local news,” CWA President Chris Shelton said. “In line with the Biden Administration’s focus on creating and preserving good, family-supporting jobs, Chairwoman Rosenworcel understands that it is not only appropriate, but essential, for the FCC to consider potential job loss as a result of mergers. CWA members appreciate her careful scrutiny of this deal and we thank the FCC staff for stepping in and standing with us at this critical point in our democracy’s history.”
“I applaud Chairwoman Rosenworcel for sticking up for local news and workers, and thank her for recognizing our concerns, particularly on the losses of local news jobs,” NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss said. “We have witnessed hedge funds murdering local newspapers, cutting jobs and decimating local news. We engaged in this fight to prevent the same thing from happening in local broadcast.”
“NABET-CWA has long fought for broadcast journalists and editorial workers, and we thank Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s resolve for backing our members,” said NABET-CWA President Charlie Braico.
In June 2022 The NewsGuild-CWA and NABET-CWA filed a petition to deny with the FCC, challenging Standard General’s plans to reduce local news jobs, raise consumer prices and violate the FCC’s ownership cap.
The NewsGuild-CWA has long advocated for local news and expressed concerns about hedge funds, including at Alden Global Capital, which has cut thousands of jobs and shuttered newspapers across the U.S.
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Press Contact
CWA Communications
(202) 434-1168
news@cwa-union.org