Blog | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

NewsGuild strongly condemns the killing of Al Jazeera journalist in the West Bank

The NewsGuild-CWA strongly condemns the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, a renowned Palestinian-American reporter for Al Jazeera. Abu Akleh was fatally shot on May 11 while covering an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank. The network reported that she was targeted by Israeli forces and shot in the head. Witnesses reported that she was wearing a press vest when she was shot.

University of North Carolina report examines upsurge in newsroom unionization

“According to NewsGuild, there was about a 500% jump in workers joining the NewsGuild union from 2017 to 2018.”

Lauren Lindstrom saw the benefits of being part of a union during her four years as a reporter for the Toledo Blade, her first journalism job out of college, a recent study by the University of North Carolina reports.

“I learned first-hand from older journalists what working in a unionized newsroom looks like: Having each other’s backs, having more say in your workplace, better working conditions for journalists who have been suffering for years,” she said.

Morning Call journalists walk out

Unionized journalists at the Morning Call in Allentown, PA, staged a one-day work stoppage on May 13 to send a message to Tribune Publishing and Alden Global Capital: It’s time for them to stop devaluing the journalists’ work.

NewsGuild seeks FCC delay on acquisition of TEGNA, calls on TEGNA board to postpone vote on proposed deal

Update: On May 20, the FCC granted the Guild’s request to delay the deadline for opposing a mega merger of news companies. This rarely happens, yet the FCC gave us another month to oppose the proposed takeover of TEGNA by two hedge funds. A merger would raise consumer prices and cut local news jobs. We cannot continue to lose local news jobs, which are already down 28% from 2008.

The NewsGuild asked the FCC on May 12 to delay action on the proposed acquisition of TEGNA by two hedge funds.

Guild President Jon Schleuss also called on TEGNA’s Board of Directors to postpone consideration of the deal, which is currently set for May 17.

Congrats, Pulitzer winners and finalists!

On behalf of more than 26,000 members of The NewsGuild-CWA, we extend heartfelt congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize Awards. We’re especially proud of NewsGuild members who were honored for their outstanding journalism, listed below.

TIME workers threaten to strike on release of TIME 100

Workers have signed a pledge to walkout on the launch of the magazine’s iconic TIME100 franchise if a fair contract is not agreed to by then.

The TIME Union announced plans for a one-day strike as their bargaining committee headed back into negotiations on Monday. Members have signed a letter to management announcing their plan to walkout on May 23, when the magazine releases its highly-anticipated annual TIME100, if a contract agreement is not reached by then.

Protesters rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on May 4, 2022.

NewsGuild: Abortion access is a health care right

Politico reported on May 2 that the Supreme Court of the United States has voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, citing a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito and circulated inside the court. The court confirmed the authenticity of the draft opinion the following day.

The NewsGuild-CWA unequivocally supports access to abortion as a health care right and as a matter of personal choice.

BuzzFeed News Union members ratify first contract

Members of the BuzzFeed News Union voted unanimously on Friday to ratify their first contract.

“Several members of the union bargaining committee started at BuzzFeed making less than $40,000 a year,” they said in a press statement. “Today, we ratified a contract that sets a salary floor for union jobs at $60,000.”

Journalists at Bangor Daily News are unionizing

May 11, 2022 – Update: It’s official! Management of the Bangor Daily News has formally recognized the Bangor Daily News Union.

May 6, 2022 – Update: The Bangor Daily News “has indicated it will voluntarily recognize our union,” union members tweeted on Friday. “We know this is so because we effectively organized our co-workers and demonstrated strong solidarity,” they said.

May 4, 2022 – Newsroom staffers of the Bangor Daily News and Bangor Publishing announced Wednesday that they are unionizing with The News Guild of Maine, Local 31128.

“We choose to work here because we value an independent press, and because we are committed to reporting the truth about local governments, schools and institutions, and to telling the stories of Mainers,” they said in a press statement.