Feb. 22, 2018 – The NewsGuild-CWA couldn’t be prouder of our members whose work has ignited a national conversation on sexual misconduct.
The exposé in the New York Times by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey toppled famed film producer Harvey Weinstein and launched a wave of exposés that dethroned other icons of Hollywood, politics and the media.
And, in a statement to the court, Michigan prosecutor Angela Povilaitis credited an investigative series by Guild members Marisa Kwiatkowski, Mark Alesia and Tim Evans of the Indianapolis Star with bringing to light the worst sexual abuse scandal in sports history, which resulted in the conviction of Dr. Larry Nassar.
“As proud as we are, it’s troubling, that some of the accused media figures worked at Guild-represented news organizations — although not when the specific alleged misconduct occurred,” said NewsGuild President Bernie Lunzer.
“Fighting sexual harassment is part of the Guild’s mission. It’s crucial that we, as a union, engage in the movement our members helped launch,” he said. “That means finding ways to address harassment, discussing it at union meetings and at work, identifying resources, and making them available to stewards and union members.
“People will no longer tolerate abusive behavior — nor should they.” Lunzer said. “And we must be prepared to stand with them and speak out when it occurs.”
“If you have had an experience with sexual harassment on the job that you would like to share, either anonymously or with your name attached, the Guild stands ready to assist you,” he said. “The national union can help you connect with an appropriate representative if you feel comfortable stepping forward, but we will protect your privacy if you want to report incidents anonymously.”