When we were organizing at the Los Angeles Times seven years ago we never thought we would go on strike.
Now, six years to the day since we had our vote count, workers are on strike for 24 hours in protest of illegal behavior by management and company plans to lay off a disastrous number of journalists.
Earlier this week, Los Angeles Times management announced that it intends to imminently lay off a significant number of journalists and asked the Guild to gut seniority protections in the union contract so they have vastly more freedom to pick whom to lay off. This will greatly damage our ability to provide the accountability journalism so important to Southern California.
“The changes to our contract that management is trying to pressure us into accepting are obscene and unsustainable,” said Brian Contreras, chair of the Guild’s Unit Council.
“If this newsroom will ever be a place where reporters can have a reliable, steady job and put down roots in Los Angeles, that will only happen through the preservation of our seniority protections. And if management thinks our financial situation is untenable, they need to come to the bargaining table in good faith and work out a buyout plan with us that would first articulate a clear headcount or cost saving they’re aiming for, and then seek to hit that number with as many buyouts — and as few layoffs — as possible.”
Readers and supporters are asked to not engage with Los Angeles Times journalism on Friday: do not give interviews, do not click on stories, do not engage with LAT brand accounts on social media, do not open news alerts, do not read articles and do not share materials from the Times.
DO support the workers and boost their stories on their historic day by following @latguild.
And add your name to this petition.
Workers are holding a one-day, multi-city walkout on Friday to Save Local Journalism. A rally will start at 12 p.m. PT on the southwest side of Gloria Molina Grand Park (200 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012) near L.A. City Hall.
Staff will also be participating in Sacramento, Washington and elsewhere; and will be abstaining from work for the day. This is the first newsroom union work stoppage in the history of the Los Angeles Times, which began printing in 1881.
NewsGuild-CWA members elsewhere have been very busy so far this year, let’s run through everything else.
Workers at CQ Roll Call in DC announced their intent to form a union. A supermajority signed union cards to fight for stronger job protections, better pay, benefits and a louder voice in newsroom decisions. This follows successful unionization efforts at other DC-area publications such as The Hill, Washingtonian and Politico and E&E.
“I’m proud to support the CQ Roll Call Guild, where we’re fighting for better pay and benefits, stronger job protections, and greater say in management decisions that affect us,” said K. Sophie Will, a Congressional action reporter. “I love this newsroom and could not be more excited that we are unionizing!”
Just a few days later all the journalists at The Evansville Courier & Press signed union cards and announced their intent to unionize. The newsroom is owned by Gannett, which has a bad history of not accepting voluntary recognition. Here, all the workers signed a card. The workers will their that election. But, as we know from Gannett’s inability to run a news company, math really isn’t something CEO Mike Reed is good at.
“We want to ensure a future for ourselves and news in Evansville,” said Sarah Loesch, a government reporter at the Courier & Press.
How can you argue against that?
And then there’s the Goat union. Workers at High Country News, a nonprofit magazine in the Rockies, announced plans to unionize. They’re joining the Denver News Guild, joining peers such as the Denver Post and Casper-Star Tribune. High Country News staff joins the ranks of an increasing number of nonprofit newsrooms to unionize, from Grist to CalMatters to ProPublica. Their logo, right there, features several mountain goats and got a lot of praise online. The goat finds company alongside the LA Eagle, the Bradenton Florida whale, Chesapeake’s fountain pen crab, Austin’s bats and many more Guild animals.
“I’m so excited to see what HCN will become when staff have a real and meaningful say in our workplace. The High Country News Union will be a body to receive and digest all our individual needs and reflect our shared goal of making HCN a better, healthier work environment,” said HCN’s Features Director McKenna Stayner.
And a fourth group announced plans to unionize in Texas. Workers at the San Antonio Report, a nonprofit publication, said they’re unionizing amid staffing and budget-related issues at other nonprofit newsrooms across the state in recent months. They’re joining the Media Guild of the West, which also represents folks at the Los Angeles Times, and other newsrooms in Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. Who’s next to unionize?!
This week has been rough on journalism throughout the continent. Our members at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation are bargaining with management there that wants to lay off hundreds of workers. The L.A. Times news already mentioned above.
Condé Nast, which owns Pitchfork, announced plans to fold that group into GQ magazine. Workers are not taking it sitting down. In a statement, the NewsGuild of New York and the workers categorically condemned the company’s plans. In December the company said there were not going to be any layoffs at Pitchfork. And then they turned around and announced layoff plans this week.
“Our members are essential to the ongoing and future success of Condé Nast. The reporters, editors, producers, researchers and all the people who make award-winning music journalism for Pitchfork, deserve better than to be treated like disposable parts,” said Susan DeCarava, president of the NewsGuild of New York. “We will continue to hold Condé Nast accountable and to fight for the recognition and compensation our members have earned, as we explore all possible options to support those affected.”
The group of Conde workers still fighting for a first contract — and also fighting illegal layoffs — announced that 400 members have pledged to strike if their bargaining committee calls for it.
And there was shocking news early this week that the Baltimore Sun was purchased by David Smith, the executive chairman of Sinclair Inc., which operates more than 200 television stations across the U.S. The Baltimore Banner has been covering the wild week of meetings at the Sun, where Smith insulted staffers and made racist comments.
His comments are atrocious. Attacking hard-working journalists is attacking democracy itself. Our members at the Sun put out a statement, calling on the new owner to work with staff to address their concerns. Workers said they are committed to continue delivering fair, balanced and meaningful coverage for communities throughout their region and Maryland.
And there was bad news that Black Press Ltd. planned to file for bankruptcy. Between The NewsGuild-CWA and CWA Canada, we represent about 75 folks across four newspapers: Cowichan Valley Citizen, Red Deer Advocate, Hilo Hawaii Tribune-Herald and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. We’ve been through news bankruptcies before. Most recently our members, staff and Executive Vice President Marian Needham fought to protect the rights and bargaining agreements of our members when McClatchy went through bankruptcy in 2020. We fought and we won. The company was fully absorbed by Chatham Asset Management, which also owns Post Media in Canada.
We’re working with members, leaders and staff to plot a path to protect our folks as much as possible.
On a separate note, you all did an amazing job supporting our strikers in Pittsburgh! During the holiday, y’all helped strikers raise more than $18,000 to make sure they got items on the Striker Santa and had food and money to cover expenses during the holiday. Thanks to everyone who contributed. And the support is still needed. Every day is a good day to contribute to the striker support fund.
Our friends at the Steelworkers are helping strikers make Solidarity Cookbook. Do you have a recipe seasoned with solidarity?! We’re collecting recipes to then sell a cookbook from union members across the continent. Submit your recipe here. Deadline is January 28.
This week was bleak for journalists in North America, there’s no pretending it wasn’t. But I continued to be inspired by every single NewsGuild-CWA member who stands up and demands better. A union isn’t some building in some far-off city. It’s not one elected leader.
A union is a decision to stand up and fight for you and your colleagues.
We have more power than we know.
Use it.
In solidarity,
Jon Schleuss
President, The NewsGuild-CWA