Category: Press Releases

Southern Poverty Law Center Staff Vote to Unionize

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 17, 2019
Contact: union.splc@gmail.com

The SPLC Union Organizing Committee is excited to announce that its effort to unionize the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has prevailed. On December 16, 2019, the National Labor Relations Board conducted a ballot count. A majority of staff across 11 offices in five states and Washington D.C. voted in favor of representation by the Washington-Baltimore News Guild. The SPLC Union won the election by an overwhelming majority, 142 to 45. Continue reading “Southern Poverty Law Center Staff Vote to Unionize”

The GateHouse-Gannett Merger: Bad News

Statement by NewsGuild-CWA 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 14, 2019

Washington, D.C. – “The vote by shareholders approving the merger of GateHouse Media and Gannett is bad news.

“The deal is bad for journalists, it’s bad for readers and it’s bad for the future of local journalism,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Bernie Lunzer. “Local papers will likely vanish, jobs will be slashed, and reporting will suffer.” Continue reading “The GateHouse-Gannett Merger: Bad News”

NewsGuild-CWA: GateHouse-Gannett Deal Threatens Journalism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 8, 2019  

Washington, D.C. – The merger of GateHouse Media and Gannett poses a threat to journalism, an analysis by The NewsGuild-CWA shows.

“This merger will hurt the communities these media organizations serve,” said NewsGuild President Bernie Lunzer. “To fund the merger, local papers will likely disappear, jobs will be slashed, and journalism will suffer.” Continue reading “NewsGuild-CWA: GateHouse-Gannett Deal Threatens Journalism”

Arizona Republic Newsroom Votes to Unionize

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 10, 2019

Contact: Arizona Republic Guild
azrepublicguild@gmail.com

PHOENIX — Today, the journalists of The Arizona Republic voted to unionize with the NewsGuild-CWA. The vote was 64 to 30 out of a bargaining unit of 101 people.

 After one of the most aggressive anti-union campaigns in recent memory in the media industry, an overwhelming majority of the newsroom chose to unite to protect benefits, improve working conditions and win a seat at the table. A looming merger between Republic parent company Gannett and GateHouse Media aims to cut $300 million or more. Continue reading “Arizona Republic Newsroom Votes to Unionize”

As GateHouse-Gannett Merger Looms, NewsGuild-CWA Takes Message to GateHouse Readers: Preserve Our Local News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 10, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The NewsGuild-CWA will take its campaign to “Preserve Our Local News” to readers on Thursday when it distributes flyers outside more than 50 GateHouse newspapers across 14 states. Continue reading “As GateHouse-Gannett Merger Looms, NewsGuild-CWA Takes Message to GateHouse Readers: Preserve Our Local News”

Journalists at The Columbian announce union organizing campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, Sept. 30

Contact: Nathan Howard
Columbian staff photographer
thecolumbianguild@gmail.com
(425) 802-3560

Brad Sherman
Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild
guild37082@gmail.com
(808) 276-1878

Journalists at The Columbian
announce union organizing campaign

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Journalists at The Columbian newspaper on Monday announced plans to unionize together as The Columbian Guild. Continue reading “Journalists at The Columbian announce union organizing campaign”

Citing ‘overwhelming majority’ support, Arizona Republic Guild seeks voluntary recognition from Gannett, files for election with NLRB

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 16, 2019

Contact: Arizona Republic Guild
azrepublicguild@gmail.com

Citing support from an “overwhelming majority” of workers, a delegation of newsroom employees officially asked Gannett to voluntarily recognize the Arizona Republic Guild as a unit of The NewsGuild-CWA today. Recognizing the union would set the stage for contract negotiations to begin. Continue reading “Citing ‘overwhelming majority’ support, Arizona Republic Guild seeks voluntary recognition from Gannett, files for election with NLRB”

Arizona Republic Newsroom Staff Announce Plan to Unionize

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 4, 2019

Contact: Arizona Republic Guild
azrepublicguild@gmail.com 

PHOENIX — The Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom of The Arizona Republic officially announced Wednesday its journalists are taking steps to unionize the state’s paper of record to have a seat at the table as a major corporate merger looms.

Reporters, photographers, producers, columnists, copy editors and other employees have signed union authorization cards stating their desire to be voluntarily recognized or hold an election to join The NewsGuild-CWA.

Continue reading “Arizona Republic Newsroom Staff Announce Plan to Unionize”

Press freedom advocates win victory in case arising from Epstein sexual abuse charges

Updated Aug. 9, 2018 – The Second Circuit denied a pending petition for rehearing  filed by Ghislaine Maxwell in the case of Giuffre v. Maxwell.  Immediately after entering the order, the Court began unsealing the material. Continue reading “Press freedom advocates win victory in case arising from Epstein sexual abuse charges”

Facing Gannett, GateHouse Merger, NewsGuild Renews Commitment to Save Local News

For Immediate Release, Aug. 5, 2019

 Contact: Sally Davidow
(202) 434-1162

Bernie Lunzer
(202) 258-3231

Aug. 5, 2019 – The NewsGuild-CWA is watching with concern the announced acquisition Monday of Gannett by New Media Investment Group, the owner of GateHouse Media.

In recent years, news company mergers have resulted in a degradation of news coverage and a reduction of jobs. Mergers like this one have resulted in the creation of news deserts and the reduction of coverage of high school sports, city council meetings, and the watchdog function news organizations play in American society.

In the face of the merger, The NewsGuild is renewing its commitment to fight for journalism that enables communities to hold local government and business accountable, that tells the stories of neighborhoods and unites the people. The NewsGuild is determined to save local news. Continue reading “Facing Gannett, GateHouse Merger, NewsGuild Renews Commitment to Save Local News”