Reporters, photographers, editors and digital producers in Connecticut’s largest newsroom are working to form a union with the NewsGuild-CWA. On August 8, the staff of Hearst Connecticut Media Group went public with their union drive, with more than 80 percent of our 110-person unit having signed union cards. Staff presented Hearst with a mission statement signed by the majority of our unit and asked the company to voluntarily recognize our union.
“We’re passionate about our livelihoods and the service we provide to our readers,” digital producer Adrian Szkolar said. “That’s why we’re coming together as one. We want to have a seat at the table and work with Hearst to be sure that our quality work will continue in the future.”
“I love reporting, but the job is becoming more difficult by the day, and it’s a struggle to live in the community I cover while also helping to raise a family,” reporter Ethan Fry said. “I’m joining with my colleagues to organize collectively so we can ensure readers throughout Connecticut get the best journalism possible.”
Though our union drive most immediately affects us, it also speaks to issues that pose a danger to local news across the country:
- Media Consolidation: Hearst owns 10 daily and 13 weekly newspapers, as well as a statewide magazine and website. The company has acquired two dailies in the last 14 months. With a news presence covering all of the state’s major cities and an ever-shrinking number of other outlets, it’s especially urgent for Hearst to maintain working conditions that allow for thoughtful, thorough reporting on issues that affect millions of Connecticut residents.
- Depressed Wages: Some Hearst Connecticut publications cover municipalities that are among the wealthiest and most expensive in the country, while many reporters and photographers are earning $50,000 per year or less, in a state where the mean income is $69,000 and average rent is $2,000 per month.
- Return to Office: Hearst has recently rolled out a return-to-office policy that wasn’t in place when many staff members were hired. At no point were any employees asked if this would be feasible for them, nor were they given additional compensation to cover the cost of commuting. For several reporters, this policy actually means being farther away from the communities they cover in order to clock in the requisite number of days in office.
- Artificial Intelligence: While all Hearst news stories are written and edited by human beings, the company has started implementing various AI tools and trainings. We seek to solidify, via contract, that our roles won’t be replaced by AI, both for our own livelihoods and for the benefits of the communities we cover.
In short, we seek the support and protection to continue covering our communities. We hope that broader media coverage will encourage more reporters to pursue unionization and secure the future of the profession, and that coverage will also hold Hearst Connecticut Media accountable for how it responds to our campaign.
We are available to answer any questions you have via email at connecticutnewsguild@gmail.com
Follow the Connecticut NewsGuild on Instagram and Twitter @CTnewsguild.
Send a letter to management telling them to voluntarily recognize the union.
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About The NewsGuild-CWA
The NewsGuild-CWA is the largest union of journalists and other communications employees in North America, representing more than 27,000 workers in the U.S. and Canada. The NewsGuild is a sector of the Communications Workers of America, which represents employees in telecommunications and information technology, the airline industry, broadcast and cable television, health care, public service and education, law enforcement, manufacturing and other fields.