Unionized journalists at The Salt Lake Tribune recently ratified their first-ever contract. 93% of bargaining unit members voted to ratify in a unanimous affirmation of their new working conditions and benefits.
This agreement comes less than 18 months after the Salt Lake News Guild secured voluntary recognition from The Tribune, and after less than a year of consistent early-morning bargaining sessions. The Salt Lake Tribune made history in 2019 when it became the first legacy newspaper to become a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and now, its unionized journalists have won a historic first contract.
Contract Highlights:
- New wage minimum of $60,000, annual raises of up to 5% for the duration of the agreement, and revenue-sharing if The Tribune exceeds its financial goals.
- Employees can no longer be fired for failing to meet pageview metrics – a standard that they have little control over.
- The formation of an AI committee to create a policy addressing journalism’s most existential threat.
- More say over a reporter’s beat, when and how they are assigned holiday coverage, and protection if they are assigned to cover dangerous situations.
- Employer 401(k) match of up to 3.5% of an employee’s contributions.
- Increased opportunities for reimbursements and comp time.
“The benefits of ratification are not just for Tribune employees. The people of Utah, who need and rely on the independent news we provide, also reap the rewards of this contract — because in a safe, supported newsroom, employees have more time to focus on journalism,” says Enterprise Reporter Paighten Harkins.
“Going into 2026, as our staff sets annual goals, I’m excited to see how my colleagues’ mindsets shift based on protections we negotiated against discipline and discharge for page views — what story ideas or different ways of telling those stories this freedom invites. This contract bookends a big year for The Tribune, and provides a roadmap as we begin what is poised to be an even bigger year.”
Stay in touch with the Salt Lake News Guild on Instagram, X, and their website.
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The Salt Lake News Guild is a bargaining unit representing over 40 journalists at The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah’s largest independent newspaper and the country’s first non-profit legacy newsroom. The Salt Lake News Guild is a member of the Denver News Guild (TNG-CWA 37074). The NewsGuiId-CWA represents 27,000 journalists, media workers, and non-profit workers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The NewsGuild-CWA is a sector of the Communications Workers of America.