By Colin Dabkowski
For journalists who take it as their mission to shape the public discourse, impartiality and skepticism are job requirements.
For those reasons, you’ll never see me endorse a political candidate publicly. I belong to no political party, nor have I ever contributed money to any campaign. I believe journalists should strenuously avoid partisanship, whether they cover the arts or city hall. Read the Full Essay
“Respect is a two-way street, isn’t it?”
– Sandy Tan
Buffalo Newspaper Guild President
Buffalo Guild members rallied outside The News, demanding a fair contract.
The rally was one of several recent mobilization events to demonstrate the members objections to the News proposal on health care. The proposal would shift health care costs to the employees, who have not had a raise in seven years. Continue reading “Buffalo Members Bring the Heat to Bargaining”
In a letter to the Department of Justice Acting Attorney General, “The Executive Council of The NewsGuild-CWA calls for the immediate production of any evidence or grounds for detaining the six journalists who were arrested during the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2017. If no evidence supporting these detentions is produced, The NewsGuild demands that all charges against them be dropped. Further, all personnel involved in policing public protests should be trained in the fundamental necessity — and legally protected right — of a free press to perform its duties without harassment or interference.” https://goo.gl/f9bKGw
Executive Council meets, around the table: Region 4 VP Mike Cabanatuan, Executive Vice President Marian Needham, President, Bernie Lunzer, International Chairperson Martha Waggoner, Region 2 VP Sheila Lindsay, Region 5 VP Eric Russ, Canada VP Scott Edmonds, Region 6 VP Jeff Gordon, Region 3 VP Kevin Flowers, CWA/SCA Canada President Martin O’Hanlon. Not seated at table, Lois Kirkup, CWA/SCA Canada VP; Barbara Camens, legal counsel; and Melissa Nelson, Director of Collective Bargaining.
The Guild signed onto a January 18 letter from the Society of Professional Journalists and 70 other journalism organizations requesting a meeting with then President-elect Donald Trump to discuss better open access to government for the media. https://goo.gl/nswRii
By Janelle Hartman
NewsGuild of New York
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 “New York Guild Members Approve New Contract at Time Inc., Ending 2-Year Dispute with Company”
Now that the president has described journalists as enemies of the people, it’s past time to assess our role not just as journalists but as citizens in a new world order that seems at odds with the values espoused in our contracts and our everyday representation of NewsGuild-CWA members.
Journalists strive to be fair in our stories. We quote all sides of issues, and we don’t publish photos that distort a scene into something it’s not. Our contracts also strive for fairness in calling for equal pay for men and women and no discrimination based on age, sex, sexual orientation or religion. Continue reading “Journalists Do Not Forfeit Section 7 Rights”
Solidarity on the picket line has enabled 55 Chronicle Herald strikers endure a second consecutive winter on the picket line in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The CWA Canada Halifax Typographical Union began the walkout January 23, 2016, when management was about to impose union-busting working conditions and threatened a lockout. The take-it-or-leave-it negotiating stance by the company is an blatant attempt to split the strikers into the haves and have-nots. It has not worked and on Feb. 9, the company refused to continue to bargain. Continue reading “Solidarity of Halifax Strikers Passes the One-Year Mark”
President Donald Trump and members of his administration apparently haven’t read the Constitution lately, if ever.
Maybe Mr. Trump doesn’t understand the self-evident truth of the First Amendment right that gave unabridged freedom to the press and the necessary protections it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy. Continue reading “The RIGHT to REPORT”
Martha Waggoner, Guild International Chairperson and Kevin McGill, News Media Guild members from the Associated Press unit, helped staff a booth at the 2016 Excellence in Journalism conference in New Orleans in September 2016. The conference was a collaboration of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Radio Television Digital News Association.
