Happy Labor Day!
I’ve got a gift for every member this Labor Day: The Guild Reporter archives.
The Guild Reporter was the printed newspaper of The American Newspaper Guild, which became The Newspaper Guild, which became The NewsGuild-CWA we know today.
Former Guild President Bernie Lunzer digitized the physical copies of The Reporter a few years ago and we just put it online. Today. For the first time ever.
More than 1,300 issues stretch back to our founding in 1933 and cover an enormous amount of news: publishers trying to exclude journalists from the National Labor Relations Act, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt joining the Guild, Ernest Hemingway donating to the Toronto Guild’s defense fund, journalists and editorial workers unionizing at The New York Times, the first collective agreement at the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, the first days of our longest-ever strike and the issue after September 11, 2001.
I’ve felt stressed these last six-and-a-half years that I haven’t fully ingested the history of our 93-year-old union. Well, now I’m falling asleep each night reading old editions of The Reporter and learning about some wild fights in our little union’s history!
Speaking of fights…
We’re on an unfair labor practice strike today at Le Monde, where we represent about 20 workers at the largest national newspaper in France. These workers are based in the United States and have to work today because they handle a portion of the editorial work going when France falls asleep.
The U.S.-based subsidiary of Le Monde employs workers on both U.S. and French contracts, but the U.S. workers get fewer benefits. The company is refusing to pay a living wage for Los Angeles-based journalists and refusing to grant just cause, a standard provision in every Guild agreement. Just cause is also guaranteed by French labor law. Our members, part of the Media Guild of the West, are calling on management to negotiate in good faith and end disparities between workers.
Our members are striking for just one day—Labor Day—to raise awareness to their largely French audience, which recognizes the real labor day on May 1.
We averted a longer strike at the Skagit Valley Herald and other Washington-based newspapers after workers ratified their contract last week. About 10 workers struck for three days in July and were planning to go out again in an open-ended work stoppage. Owner Adams MultiMedia caved and raised their minimum pay.
Our members unanimously ratified the agreement, which includes 2% annual raises, notification of company changes to AI usage, a night differential and every provision they won in their last agreement—no concessions.
Here are our numbers since the last Labor Day: 1,742 workers organizing with us from 29 workplaces; 35 first contracts and 15 strikes.
The largest group of workers to unionize with us just joined earlier this summer and they’re from Hachette, part of a wave of publishing workers unionizing with us. We also had a strikingly large number of nonprofit and independent newsrooms unionizing with us, including the Fort Worth Report, The Maine Monitor and Signal Ohio. And media workers joined us from large chains too: Columbus Dispatch (USA Today/Gannett) and Centre Daily Times (McClatchy). And nonprofits like the Environmental Defense Fund and Nebraska Appleseed also joined us in the past year.
Striking is back on the rise in the past year with members going out in 15 workplaces. We of course ended our strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (support their new worker-owned cooperative here) and we went on shorter strikes at EdSource, ProPublica and five McClatchy-owned newsrooms in Washington and Idaho.
We’ve won a lot of first collective agreements in many places, including ProPublica (after that strike), the Texas Tribune, Salt Lake Tribune (our first union newsroom in Utah!), Fortune Magazine (took a long time, but our members got it done), the Anchorage Daily News (first union newsroom in Alaska!).
And we’ve also had a ton of news in just the last week.
Workers at the Investigative Journalism Foundation filed to join the Canadian Media Guild last week. The staff includes editorial, development and tech departments at the digital media company based across Canada. They’re organizing to strengthen democracy and transparency in their workplace and build an environment that remains respectful and equitable as the organization expands.
“Investigative journalism is vital in holding those in power to account. These workers play a pivotal role in the research that they do, the data that they gather for others and the stories that they tell,” said Jane Robertson, national president of the CMG. “The workers at IJF have put that care and dedication to the craft by creating a lasting change within their own organization by joining our union.”
Denver’s legislative workers unionized and won voluntary recognition from the Denver City Council and mayor after launching their campaign with the Denver Newspaper Guild. The group covers part- and full-time staff who support Denver’s 13 elected city council members.
“We love our jobs, we love our city, and we want to serve its residents – this union will improve outcomes for both aides and residents by ensuring public workers in the legislative branch have meaningful input on their working conditions and job protections,” said Zack Burley, senior council aide and member of the organizing committee.
I was in Boston Thursday at a hearing where we sued the Trump administration over its changes to visas impacting international journalists and scholars. It’s our fifth lawsuit against the Trump administration over the government’s attacks on journalists and other members. Unless this judge acts, international journalists will only be able to work in the United States for 240 days, instead of the five years provided under the current I visa rules. This will impact dozens of our members at Agence France-Press, Reuters, EFE and Le Monde.
I covered the hearing and our attorneys quoted from my declaration, which said that many international journalists come to the U.S. to work for extended periods of time. They rent homes with leases extending well beyond 240 days. Their children are enrolled in U.S. schools and they have spouses in the U.S.
Our attorney highlighted a story of how one of our members was criticized and attacked by government officials after reporting on allegations that an ICE officer killed a protester.
The judge seemed skeptical of the government’s arguments. I remain optimistic that we’ll see action before the new rules go into effect on September 15.
California just passed a bill that would give job tax credits to news organizations and it now awaits the governor’s signature. Two NewsGuild-CWA locals, Media Guild of the West and Pacific Media Workers Guild, were part of a coalition led by Rebuild Local News that has advocated for the bill since it was first introduced in February.
“Journalism isn’t possible without actual journalists,” said Sean Emery, the president of Media Guild of the West. “And by making it easier for local newsroom leaders to hire and retain journalists, this bill is a key step in beginning to reverse years of devastating newsroom cuts and a news crisis that has threatened community trust and civic health. That is why we have joined an unprecedented coalition of media supporters in urging Gov. Newsom to support the Community NEWS Act and make sure California communities get the news coverage they deserve.”
The New York Times backed away from plans with prediction market company Kalshi after our members pushed back. “Any partnership between Kalshi and The Athletic would threaten our journalistic independence across the company,” our members said in a statement. Both the Times Guild Unit Council and The Athletic’s contract action team wrote the statement, which came just a few weeks after New York state sued the platform, alleging that it is an illegal gambling operation.
Last week USA Today, formerly Gannett, started rolling out buyouts and layoffs across the U.S. as it continues a pivot into AI slop. A major election is just around the corner and the company is cutting workers on Labor Day. Unionized parts of the company got voluntary buyouts while non-union parts of the company were notified of layoffs. “I’m so glad we unionized this year,” said Jordan Laird at the Columbus Dispatch. “I think we probably saved a job or two,” she said in an Instagram video highlighting her colleagues’ work covering local issues. “But I’m so proud of The NewsGuild.”
Forbes just got a first contract four years after unionizing. Forbes Union, part of The NewsGuild of New York, represents about 90 reporters, photo and video editors. They ratified a three-year agreement on September 1 that provides strong editorial integrity protections, establishes a new $68,500 salary floor, includes gold-standard job security protections and more.
“We refused to accept any deal that didn’t honor the value we bring every day to Forbes,” said Andrea Murphy, unit chair and statistics editor for Forbes. “This contract is the direct result of our union’s perseverance and solidarity.”
We sadly lost Vin Cherwoo, president of the News Media Guild, which represents workers at The Associated Press, The Guardian, EFE, Financial Times, Oxford University Press and more. Cherwoo was a New York-based sports editor at The Associated Press. He was just 56 years old when he died Thursday after a long illness.
“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.
Coworker and fellow member Dennis Waszack Jr. wrote about Cherwoo’s passing for The Associated Press, writing that he was “one of the sports desk’s most quirky and lovable characters. He was unassuming in many ways, never boisterous or seeking to be the center of attention.”
Under Vin, the News Media Guild organized hundreds of new members. I’m sad we lost a dedicated fighter for our union.
Our Steward training series starts again in 10 days. Are you interested in learning how to better represent your coworkers? This first module reviews a steward’s roles, provides best practices and how to have organizing conversations. Register here. The first of six modules begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 17 on Zoom. It continues through early December. See all events here.
Have a great Labor Day!
Jon Schleuss
President
The NewsGuild-CWA