U-S Journalists Demanding Fair Union Elections

The NewsGuild, a sector of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), is calling on the country’s major corporate newspaper chains to commit to a set of ground rules that will ensure free and fair union elections for their employees. 

Journalists at 10 news publications around the country have recently announced union drives. Their newspapers are owned by national chains, including Gannett, McClatchy, and Tribune Publishing, as well as smaller ownership chains such as the alt-weekly owner Voice Media Group and private owner Adams Publishing Group.

Employees at each publication requested voluntary recognition of their union from their employers, a process by which management can respect the factthat a majority of its employees have signed cards indicating their desire for a union, recognize their union, and begin negotiations over wages and working conditions.

In each of the NewsGuild-CWA campaigns, the employer refused to offer voluntary recognition, forcing a four-week waiting period for an election.

 A December 2019 report by the Economic Policy Institute found that American employers spend an estimated $340 million annually on “union avoidance” firms to attempt to crush union elections. Consultants often report being paid $350 per hour or more, with some earning as much as $2,500 per day.

“Gannett says that we should go to an election to ensure that unionizing is done in a democratic manner. We agree, and expect them to respect the entire democratic process by honoring these very reasonable guidelines that we’ve proposed,” said Sarah Gamard, a government and politics reporter for @delawareonline, a Gannett-owned paper. “These guidelines will reduce distractions and help maintain a mutual level of respect in our newsroom.”

Annie Martin, an education reporter for the Tribune-owned Orlando Sentinel, said, “While Sentinel Guild members are disappointed we did not receive voluntary recognition from Tribune Publishing, we are looking forward to a fair election on March 25. We're confident our managers share this goal and we expect them to follow these straightforward rules to ensure every eligible member of our newsroom is able to vote freely and without fear of retaliation.” 

Alex Driehaus, a photojournalist for the Naples Daily News, said, “Despite Gannett’s refusal to recognize the members of the Southwest Florida News Guild as one bargaining unit, we intend to remain united in achieving our mutual goals through our election on March 25 and beyond. We hope that our managers will commit to approaching this election in the same fair and unbiased manner that informs our reporting every day. We want our members to be able to make an informed decision without fear of retribution, and we expect our management to maintain an environment where that is possible.”

Below are the ground rules the NewsGuild-CWA has proposed.

Ground Rules for a Free and Fair Election

• Meeting equity: For every meeting where management discusses the union, the Organizing Committee will get equivalent time and space to hold our own meeting
• Respect our voice: Don’t tell employees what’s going to be in our contract. We will decide what we prioritize in bargaining.
• No emails about the union will be sent via company email.
• No interrogation: Management will not ask employees about their involvement in the union.
• Respect the law: No legal delays, no frivolous litigation, and no labor law violations

The groups organizing with the NewsGuild that are calling on their employer to sign onto the ground rules are:

• Delaware News Guild – Delaware Online and The News Journal
• Idaho News Guild – Idaho Statesman
• Orlando Sentinel Guild – Orlando Sentinel
• Palm Beach News Guild – Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach Daily News
• Southwest Florida News Guild – Fort Myers News-Press and Naples Daily News
• Voice Media Guild – Phoenix New Times and Miami New Times