After two years of bargaining, the journalists of Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald have had enough. Today they launched a work-to-rule campaign, declaring, “Our members will work the hours and roles we were hired for and nothing more.”
Members of One Herald Guild said they have made progress on some issues, but remain stagnant on key areas, including pay equity between English and Spanish-language journalists, layoff protections, severance pay and their 401(k) plans.
“Our newsrooms have been working on a skeletal staff for way too long,” they tweeted. “This means we all work extra time. We put up with it, even if sometimes we don’t get paid for it. We go the extra mile because we believe in the importance of serving our communities. But we need support.”
They’re asking, McClatchy, which owns the publications, to take them seriously and finish negotiating a fair contract.
And they’re asking supporters to let McClatchy know you stand with them by retweeting their message.
In other McClatchy union news, members of The State News Guild in South Carolina opened negotiations for their first collective bargaining agreement, tweeting, “Today, we @thestateguild are asking @McClatchy for a fair contract that will help our newsroom keep publishing works of truth, accountability, culture and compassion for the Midlands and SC. We work hard for @thestate, our readers and our communities. We deserve a fair contract.”
Photo at top: Reporter Joey Flechas, co-chair of One Herald Guild, said at a press conference Dec. 11, 2021, that McClatchy has not agreed to a wage system that would address longstanding inequalities between journalists at el Nuevo Herald and Miami Herald. (Courtesy of Emily Michot, Miami Herald photographer, NewsGuild-CWA Local 3108.)