News Media Guild President Vinay Cherwoo, who labored for decades to improve the lives of generations of media workers, died Thursday after a long illness, his family said. He was 56.
Cherwoo was a New York-based sports editor at The Associated Press, where over the course of three decades he developed an expertise and deep knowledge of many professional sports. His service to the Guild started in the 1990s, when he was elected to the union’s Executive Committee and served as a rank-and-file negotiator on many contracts with the AP.
Cherwoo was hospitalized in May. First Vice President Kimberlee Kruesi assumed his duties as the union’s acting president.
“This is an incredibly sad day. Vin was a fierce union advocate who fought tirelessly on behalf of the News Media Guild,” Kruesi said. “His steady dedication as a guild leader secured countless better working conditions and benefits for our members.
Our hearts go out to Vin’s wife, Stacy, and his family.”
“Vin was a thoughtful and committed union man,” said Tony Winton, the union’s executive director and former colleague. “He was outstanding at looking at the dollars and cents impact and was always thinking of ways to do better for the membership. I will miss his wry humor and savvy pragmatism,” he said.
Service arrangements were pending.