NEW YORK – Unionized journalists at the Daily News have reached a tentative agreement with the paper’s owner, Alden Global Capital, for a first contract that includes new, life-changing salary minimums, 6% wage increases over six months and new benefits for part-timers.
Union ratification on the two-year contract deal will be held in the coming days, bringing to a close three years of contentious bargaining with the owner of the nation’s second largest newspaper chain. The union, which represents the tabloid’s print, digital and photo employees, organized as a bargaining unit of The NewsGuild of New York in 2021.
“I could not be prouder of everyone in the Daily News Union who made this possible,” said Michael Sheridan, unit chair of the Daily News Union. “Winning the first contract for the Daily News’ workers in more than 30 years was an uphill battle. From the historic walkout to distributing flyers and organizing rallies, it was a Herculean effort. But it never would have happened without the dedicated efforts of dozens of people, including those who have left the News for bigger and better things.”
Highlights of the deal include:
Wages
- Minimum salaries of $60,000 at ratification and $63,000 by May 2026; $75,000 for senior reporters and senior content editors.
- Annual raises at ratification of 3% across the board and another 3% across the board increase in May 2026.
Benefits
- Expanded benefits for part-timers, including health care coverage for the first time ever.
- Protection of current flexible time off plan for those who currently have it and for any new hires in the sports department going forward.
- Preserved retirement benefits and enhanced paid leaves.
Job security
- Just cause protections that guarantee due process and representation should a worker face discipline or termination.
- Performance reviews that take stock rather than presaging disciplinary action.
- Stronger health and safety protections for reporters and photographers regarding harassment, assignment safety, trauma and other risks.
- Training requirements for new programs, processes and protocols.
- Creation of a Labor Management Committee to address workplace issues.
Protections on journalists’ work
- Establishes rights and legal protections for source confidentiality.
- Creates editorial integrity protocols and protects against advertiser and third-party interests.
The union’s first contract deal is the culmination of three years of collective actions – including a January 2024 work stoppage – and persistent, strategic bargaining. It also comes less than a week after the union staged a major rally outside NY City Hall in support of the New York City Council’s “ToTough to Die” resolution, which called for Alden to agree to a fair contract. The resolution passed by a wide margin.
“This tentative agreement is the direct result of our Daily News Union members’ perseverance and determination to fight for the worth of their work covering this great city of ours,” said Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York. “Winning this contract means our journalists will be able to continue to report on the news that New Yorkers need to stay aware, safe and informed. New York needs its Hometown Paper and its Hometown Journalists more than ever.”