Blog

How Organizing Works

If you are interested in organizing your workplace, The NewsGuild will help you build support among you and your coworkers. A Federal law gives employees the right to organize and the rights of employees are protected by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). But, the interpretation and enforcement of the laws and rights are subject to politics and the courts.

Therefore, it is best to get in touch with us before speaking with coworkers about forming a union where you work. Experience has shown that to create a successful campaign, it is important that you and your coworkers take the lead in the organizing. Staff members at The NewsGuild will provide you with support and guidance throughout the process of forming your union. Continue reading “How Organizing Works”

Email Rights

Barbara Camens and Marissa Jacobson
TNG-CWA Legal Counsel

The same computer technology that helps make businesses more efficient is useful to unions, too-much to some employers’ dismay. So it should come as no surprise that as TNG-CWA locals and their members increasingly rely on company e-mail to communicate about workplace issues, those same employers are trying to prohibit such use, often by unilaterally imposing new computer-use policies. Many such efforts, however, are illegal and should be challenged by TNG locals. Continue reading “Email Rights”

Union Pride at Dow Jones as Bargaining Enters Third Month

With T-shirts, bulletin boards and lots of solidarity photos on social media, Guild members at the Wall Street Journal and other Dow Jones properties have been doing their all to support the IAPE bargaining team. Talks began in June. Wages are a key sticking point, with the union seeking to offset increases in employees’ share of health care costs. IAPE is asking for a 3.5 percent raise in the first year and 4.5 percent in the following two years, while Dow Jones hasn’t budged above 2 percent.

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Quality Journalism, Quality Jobs

Many journalists today juggle numerous jobs – reporting, writing, creating videos and posting to social media. Getting it all done often means working well outside business hours. There’s little time or energy left to pursue leads, dig deep and produce the high-quality journalism that is vital to readers.

Having a voice at work makes all the difference. A NewsGuild contract sets standards that make your job sustainable. Whether you’re concerned about job security, fair wages, health benefits, parental leave, vacation time or sick days, what matters to you is what matters to us. We don’t tell our members which battles to fight. We stand with you, support you with staff and financial resources and help you achieve your goals.

Continue reading “Quality Journalism, Quality Jobs”

Solidarity Pays Off for Members at Time, Inc.

New York Guild members approve new contract at Time Inc., ending 2-year dispute with company

NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2016 – NewsGuild of New York members at Time Inc. approved a revised settlement offer by a 3-to-1 margin Thursday, ending a two-year dispute with the company.

Members overwhelmingly rejected a company offer in June, prior to a National Labor Relations Board administrative ruling that favored the company. The Guild brought the case when Time Inc. declared impasse and imposed work rules nearly two years ago. As part of the settlement, the Guild is dropping its appeal of the ruling.

Continue reading “Solidarity Pays Off for Members at Time, Inc.”

Our Media Community

The NewsGuild-CWA is the premier union representing journalists, interpreters and translators, social justice workers, and nonprofit and public-sector professionals in North America.

The NewsGuild-CWA has evolved quite a bit since it was formed in 1933 as the union for journalists. Since then, our unparalleled expertise in this rapidly changing industry, along with our uncompromising dedication to open and democratic leadership, has augmented our membership with professionals from many new, diverse types of workplaces.

Together, we are building community, and an increasingly powerful union to confront the common challenges that face us.

Our Mission

The NewsGuild-CWA seeks to improve our lives through the building of community, at home and in the workplace. We are our Union. Through commitment to open democratic function we improve not only our own organization and the lives of our members, but fight most effectively for our common interests: sustainable jobs, equality in the workplace, dignified working conditions and the defense of ethical practices in our work.

Our Members

With an uncompromising dedication to open and democratic leadership, members set the agenda for The NewsGuild-CWA, setting standards to create better workplaces. NewsGuild members literally have a seat at the table in negotiations with employers. Members elect leaders and vote directly on negotiated agreements.

THE NEWSGUILD-CWA has its genesis as a print journalists’ union and has grown to become the premier media union in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Journalism is undergoing a rapid change in form, distribution, and financial stability, moving a once steady career path to one of great uncertainty of consistent employment. Through good times and bad, NewsGuild members fight for quality and ethics in media industry.

The NewsGuild represents more than 24,000 journalists and other media workers in news organizations. Members include reporters, columnists, copy editors, photojournalists, graphic designers, editorial cartoonists and others. Additionally, the Guild represents workers in advertising, circulation, business offices and other departments essential to the operations of media enterprises.

With more than 200 agreements negotiated collectively with management, The NewsGuild has grown to represent much more than journalists. The NewsGuild represents media workers in print, online, broadcast; spoken-language and sign-language interpreters and translators; social justice workers; and non profit and public sector professionals.

A vital part of NewsGuild’s mission is as a strong, international voice for freedom of the press, free speech and the freedom and safety of journalists around the world. Members work at newspapers, magazines, news services, digital news and in broadcast.

Electing Union Leaders

The NewsGuild, and our parent union, the Communications Workers of America, value the importance of membership involvement in the union’s operation 365 days a year. Democracy is a key to the functioning of The NewsGuild. The officers of the Guild still are elected directly by the members and The NewsGuild chairperson is an unpaid position eligible to any member who is not an employee of The NewsGuild or works full-time for a local. Continue reading “Electing Union Leaders”