Feb. 16, 2019 – The Hartford Courant Guild received voluntary recognition from Tribune Publishing on Friday, just a few days after the staffers at the award-winning newspaper filed a petition for a union election.
The company agreed to recognize the Guild as a joint collective bargaining unit of nearly 60 reporters, editors and photographers at the Hartford Courant and Courant Community. The recognition expedites contract negotiations “and recognizes the overwhelming will of our newsroom to take a seat at the table,” unit leaders said in a news release.
Support for the Hartford Courant Guild had grown in the few days its leaders publicly announced their intention to organize. More than 80 percent of the members of the bargaining unit signed union authorization cards.
“We look forward to building a more productive and collaborative relationship with the company as we join the conversation shaping the future of the Hartford Courant,” the unit said its news release. “We fight for improved resources and support so we can continue to serve our readers to the best of our abilities.”
The unit will become part of the Providence Local.