Category: Featured

Panel to vote on newsprint tariffs that TNG, publishers oppose

By Martha Waggoner, Guild International Chair

The NewsGuild-CWA and newspapers owners and managers agree on one issue: the tariff increase on paper is wrong and should be eliminated.

The International Trade Commission meets Wednesday to decide the issue. Among those opposing the tariff increase is TNG, through its parent union, the Communications Workers of America. Newspapers have blamed the tariff increase for layoffs and for reductions in print editions.

CWA President Chris Shelton wrote a letter to the commission, urging that it consider the effects of the tariffs on the U.S. news industry. The commission is an independent government agency that will decide whether to maintain the tariff on uncoated groundwood paper.

In his letter written to the commission in July, Shelton references TNG as representing 25,000 journalists and other media workers. He lists the many problems facing the troubled media industry, including a 30 percent decline in newspaper subscriptions over the past decade.

“Given the upheaval already facing the newspaper industry, I am concerned that steep duties on imported uncoated groundwood paper from Canada could make it even harder for newspapers to succeed in the current economic environment,” Shelton wrote in his letter to David Johanson, chair of the commission.

One paper factory in Washington state, North Pacific Paper Co., and its private-equity owner, One Rock Capital, requested the tariff, The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers have reported. The 87-year-old partner of One Rock Capital, John A. Georges, owns multi-million-dollar homes, as does his son, who’s also a partner at One Rock.

Terrance C.Z. Egger, publisher of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, told the Inquirer that the tariff “is extremely onerous, unfair and totally unwarranted. The damage it is doing to the already fragile state of the economics of newspapers of all sizes across America is severe.”

 

Lee threatens to close Missoula Independent if the union doesn’t agree to shed 3/4’s of the staff

Originally Lee Enterprises had threatened to shutter the paper if the employees organized a union. See this videos from KPAX, a major broadcaster in Western Montana, and a video from freelancer Dan Brooks at the link below, or attached to this brief. Continue reading “Lee threatens to close Missoula Independent if the union doesn’t agree to shed 3/4’s of the staff”

Human Rights Conference is reminder that union important in fighting for women, against racism

By Martha Waggoner, Guild International Chair

It’s more important than ever that workers who are harassed and discriminated on the job have unions to protect them and be their voice, say members of The NewsGuild-CWA who worked at the recent Human Rights Conference. Continue reading “Human Rights Conference is reminder that union important in fighting for women, against racism”

Mind the gap: Uncovering pay disparity in the newsroom

Aug. 23, 2018 – Excellent piece from The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) on gender pay disparities in newsrooms. Put together by several members of AAJA it primarily focuses on our union efforts in seven of our large locals. It appears that this fight for equal pay just won’t go away. These efforts should inspire every union local to request pay data and either analyze it themselves, or get help through The NewsGuild-CWA. There is also some information on non-union environments. Remember too that every journalists is welcome to join one of the journalist associations. They are all actively pursuing anti-discrimination efforts.

https://voices.aaja.org/index/2018/8/8/pay-equity

The NewsGuild-CWA statement on the president, August 16, 2018

Washington, DC, August 16, : Journalists are on the front lines in a war on freedom of the press because President Trump has taken every opportunity possible to impugn our craft, our mission, our publications – us. But he has gone beyond simply calling us names and discrediting us. Never one to know a limit, Trump’s hatred and disdain, and the way he expresses them, have become dangerous.

We have believed for some time that the president’s words will result in physical attacks on journalists. Words have consequences.

We are a community of serious journalists, constantly seeking truth and disclosing falsehoods. The president doesn’t share our goals and generally does everything he can not only to obscure the truth, but also to disparage the truth tellers.

We believe this atrocious behavior has to be seen for what it is – reckless and endangering.

The Boston Globe has called on fellow news organizations to speak out today. They think enough is enough. We do, too.

This is not a political statement based on disagreements. We like a good disagreement and strong discussion. Our words are harsh but they need to be.  They reflect the hatred that President Trump has fomented against us and our profession.

We will continue to cover the news related to this president and do so in an objective, fair way. But we cannot be silent when he has dubbed us “the enemy of the people,” a term used previously by dictators.

We want a civil society where people receive trusted, credible news. We will continue our mission. But we all must recognize this president as the “clear and present danger” that he is. Dictators typically attack both unions and a free press on their way to more heinous actions. On this day, Aug. 16, 2018, this union of journalists stands in solidarity with all who call out President Donald Trump for his deplorable attempts to weaken a free press and the FIRST Amendment.

Minneapolis hires firm to investigate how draft report on ketamine use was leaked – Guild supports petition to stop the investigation

The Star Tribune’s Andy Mannix broke a story about cops ordering emergency workers to sedate suspects with a powerful tranquilizer called Ketamine. This was done without their consent. The city has opted to hire a law firm at $275 an hour to investigate the leak. In fairness, the city also hired Sally Yates to investigate the use of the drug. See the attached story but also sign the petition against the investigation. 

Story is here: http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-city-hires-firm-to-investigate-how-draft-report-on-ketamine-use-was-leaked/489683071/

Petition against the investigation is here:

https://www.change.org/p/support-the-first-amendment-stop-the-minneapolis-leak-investigation?recruiter=35762257&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

Journalists at The Florida Times-Union vote union

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 19, 2018

Contact:
Dean Olsen, NewsGuild organizing consultant, at (217) 836-1068 or newsguildflorida@gmail.com

JACKSONVILLE, Florida — By a 2-to-1 margin, journalists at The Florida Times-Union voted Thursday to form a union, becoming only the third unionized newsroom staff in the Sunshine State. Continue reading “Journalists at The Florida Times-Union vote union”

Show your support for the Capital Gazette workers

(Handout/Reuters)

Guild leaders, colleagues and friends are asking what is being done to support the families of the five people killed last week in the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland.

Killed were Gerald Fischman, Robert Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters, who were gunned down in their newsroom on June 28. The man arrested had held a grudge against the newspaper for several years. Continue reading “Show your support for the Capital Gazette workers”