2018

Last night, we unanimously (168-0!) ratified a remarkable first contract that fiercely protects and improves the working conditions of everyone in the newsroom at Law360.

We’re proud to announce that our members at AskMen, Geek, Mashable, and PCMag were voluntary recognized by Ziff Davis management earlier today.

Overwhelming majority of newsroom — which includes the print and web staff of New York Magazine, Daily Intelligencer, the Cut, Vulture, Grub Street, and the Strategist — seek union representation

In a nomination meeting at TIME Magazine on December 7, 2018, one Guild member was nominated to fill the open Unit Chair position.

If NewsGuild of New York member and New Yorker fact-checker Natalie Meade wasn’t in the media industry, she’d have her PhD in behavioral psychology and be working as a jury consultant—think Criminal Minds but without the serial killers. Meade attended the University of Delaware for her bachelors in mass communication and psychology, but luckily for us, she transitioned into journalism and earned her masters from Columbia Journalism School. Get to know Natalie! 

There is no doubt these are, and will continue to be, difficult days ahead for all of our members at Mic. We are here with them, and will continue to be, every step of the way. Mic management has counted on our dedicated members to maintain its journalistic reputation and identity as a mission-driven media organization for years with their hard work, and professionalism in the face of constantly shifting and poorly-defined corporate priorities.

As editorial staffers of Ziff Davis publications PC Magazine, Mashable, Geek.com, and AskMen, we are proud to represent a diverse array of publications. Each brings a distinct voice, passion, and expertise to coverage spanning tech, culture, entertainment, lifestyle, and everything in between. Together, our editorial teams have helped build well-respected outlets that can dissect internet culture, produce in-depth reviews, and report feature stories that drive the online conversation in a digital media industry undergoing tectonic shifts. Yet, despite these successes, there is reason for worry.

From Huffington Post | Employees of the subscription news outlet voted to authorize a strike after more than two years of bargaining.

Meredith Corporation announced today that it will sell Fortune to Fortune Media Group Holdings Limited, owned by Chatchaval Jiaravanon, for $150 million.

Last week members at Law360 overwhelmingly approved a strike authorization—141 to 11 to be exact. Members didn’t make this decision lightly, and the vote signified a renewed determination to achieve a fair contract after nearly two years at the bargaining table.

From Bloomberg | Law360, a legal news arm of LexisNexis, is threatened with a strike as labor organizers flex some new muscles.

We, the Unit Council of Law360 represented by the NewsGuild of New York, are announcing that our members voted overwhelmingly Tuesday in favor of authorizing a strike, if necessary, to accomplish a strong first contract. Our company is a well-respected legal news service owned by LexisNexis, and management needs to know that after two years, enough is enough.

On September 21, 2018, members of The NewsGuild of New York working at S&P Global ratified a new five-year agreement. This contract, effectively immediately and retroactive to April 1, 2018, ensures an 12.3 percent guaranteed wage increase as well as additional  job security language that affords career opportunities for workers. 

From Bloomberg Law | The NewsGuild of New York authorized $250,000 in spending to support lengthy labor contract negotiations at Law360. Staffers at the media company joined the union in 2016 but have yet to reach agreement on a first contract.

Yesterday Meredith announced the sale of TIME magazine to Salesforce chairman and co-founder Marc Benioff and his wife Lynne, a marketing consultant and philanthropist, for $190 million.

This has been an incredible year for the media industry when fighting for a voice in the newsroom. We’ve said it and heard it time and again, but there is still much work to do. We must continue to organize and mobilize and demonstrate why we deserve the union, and why our country needs media workers. Our industries, both media and labor, are under constant attack. This year, it’s important to stand and march together, making a strong showing at the Labor Day Parade on Saturday, September 8. Let’s come together to showcase our power and tell the world why we’re here.

Safety concerns have always been a part of being a journalist, or any media worker, especially for those working from volatile parts of the world. But today’s highly-polarized political climate in the United States has put a renewed focus on the potential perils that come with the job. Whether you are in a war zone, covering a political rally, or commuting to and from the office, we have are a few tips to keep in mind that can help you stay safe. 

One of the Guild’s newer members, Zach Howe was part of the organizing committee that ushered the union into Mic’s newsroom earlier this year. A copy editor and an organizer, Howe grew up in a family that read the dictionary at dinner and loves words. Read more and get to know Zach. 

Today Tronc delivered yet another devastating blow to the media industry. In its decision to lay off 50 percent of The Daily News’ editorial staff, Tronc’s management has sent a dangerous message to the public: journalism doesn’t matter.

The union’s top officers, including Local Chairperson and First Vice President, were up for election. 

In a nomination meeting at S&P Global on June 25, 2018, Guild members were nominated to fill two unit council positions. 

The Supreme Court’s Janus vs. AFSCME decision is a huge blow to the labor movement and an attack on all workers. The NewsGuild of New York stands with public sector workers and strongly condemns this decision which will undercut the ability of public sector unions to fight for their members.

The nomination and election to fill vacancies of Unit Chair, First Vice Chair, Secretary, Second Vice Chair and Third Vice Chair of Forward Unit shall be conducted in accordance with the Bylaws of the NewsGuild of New York and Federal Law. 

On Wednesday, Guild members working at The Forward, the national magazine and online publication that covers news relevant to American Jews, ratified a three-year agreement between the company and the NewsGuild of New York, the local union that represents nearly 3,000 media and research professionals working in the New York City metro area.

Yesterday the Department of Justice seized phone and email records of New York Times reporter Ali Watkins. These actions represent a deeply troubling violation of the First Amendment and of the essential role of the Fourth Estate: to question the levers of power, interrogate authority, and seek answers on behalf of the public.

From The New York Times | The New Yorker’s editorial staff members said Wednesday that they had formed a union, adding the magazine to a growing list of publications, old and new, whose employees have turned to collective bargaining during a tumultuous time for the industry.

Editorial employees of The New Yorker magazine announced today that an overwhelming majority of its staff have joined the NewsGuild of New York, TNG-CWA Local 31003, the union that represents nearly 3,000 media professionals in the Greater New York City area. The NewsGuild of New York is part of the larger 24,000-member NewsGuild-CWA, which represents news professionals across the U.S. and Canada.

As a media professional, in particular reporters and fact-checkers, if you’re just using social media to promote your stories, you’re not using it to its full potential. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are also great tools for finding sources, building relationships that can prove beneficial in the long run and staying on top of your particular beat in real-time and more. But as with anything to do with social media, one must tread carefully and maintain traditional journalistic standards. The following are simple ways you can maximize the value of social media as a reporter without getting yourself into any trouble.

From The Advocate | This New York union is pushing for gender expression protections in newsrooms, so journalists better represent who they report on.

The NewsGuild of New York is pleased to announce nominations are open for the 2018 Keenan Service Award, named in honor of the late Tom Keenan, a stalwart Guild activist.

In a nomination meeting at the Roosevelt Institute on April 30, 2018, one Guild member was nominated to fill the open Unit Chair position. Member Jade Wilenchik was nominated to serve as chair. Additional nominees may be made under the following rule, which can be found within. 

We are pleased to announce that management of The New Republic has voluntarily recognized our union, The NewsGuild of New York, as our collective bargaining representative. We have reached an agreement on a bargaining unit that we believe is appropriate.

Editorial employees of The New Republic have announced that an overwhelming majority of its staff have joined the NewsGuild of New York, TNG-CWA Local 31003, the union that represents nearly 3,000 media professionals in the Greater New York City area. The NewsGuild of New York is part of the larger 24,000-member NewsGuild-CWA, which represents news professionals across 51 states and Canada.

From Nieman Reports | From posting raw footage to explaining reporting methods, more journalists are showing their work. 

In a nomination meeting at the Forward on March 22, 2018, Guild members were nominated to fill the positions of unit chair and second vice chair in the editorial unit and unit chair and first vice chair in the business unit. 

Today, Mic management agreed to voluntarily recognize the NewsGuild of New York as the collective bargaining representative of its editorial staff.

Guild member and Daily Beast journalist Brandy Zadrozny has worn many hats. From a mixologist to a librarian (she did earn her master’s degree in Library Information Sciences from Pratt), Zadrozny didn’t start out as a reporter. And although she covers social issues, science, and crime for the Daily Beast, sometimes she truly just enjoys writing think pieces on The Bachelor. Get to know Brandy! 

From The Daily Beast | In asking management to recognize the union, organizing editorial staffers cited the liberal news outlet’s own stated commitment to economic and social justice.

Facebook’s announcement last month that it would be making significant changes to its News Feed in an attempt to create “more meaningful social interactions” for its users induced anger and panic throughout the digital media world. If your newsroom doesn’t have a plan in place for becoming less dependent on Facebook, here are a few ways to make up for that lost traffic, as well as making your overall audience development strategy more “meaningful.” 

In a nomination meeting at Jacobin on February 1, 2018, one Guild member was  nominated to fill the Unit Chair position.

The three-year agreement ensures that Jacobin members have a voice in their workplace through formalizing processes, guaranteeing wage increases and offering fully-covered medical insurance for the first time. 

If a Tweet is sent and does not a like, does it make a sound? Beyond likes, retweets and emojis, there are other ways to measure the impact of a social posting, thanks to social media analytics tools. Conveniently, for Twitter and Facebook, these are built right into the platforms. Both of these native analytics tools offer a deep dive into how your content is performing. But for those exploring the world of social media analytics for the first time, we have a primer on what to look for. 

From Huffington Post | Journalists across America will launch a campaign Friday in support of two Reuters journalists arrested and charged in Myanmar for reporting on “ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya Muslims by the country’s military.

A statement from the NewsGuild of New York on the Myanmar journalists detained for an outdated and unjust law. We loudly echo the journalists who are vocal in supporting Wa Lone and Kyaw She Oo: Journalism is not a crime.