From the President | Coronavirus Update 2: New York Local office closing, staff still on the job

Dear Members, 

In taking every precaution to ensure that NewsGuild Local staff members remain available to you during this pandemic and the resulting global shift in our work culture, the physical Guild office at 1500 Broadway is temporarily closing through the end of March. The staff is continuing to work remotely, and your reps remain available to you via phone and email. If you have a Guild-related emergency and cannot reach your Unit leadership or your Guild local representative, please call Anthony Napoli, our Secretary-Treasurer and Senior Local Representative at 212-575-1580. You can also reach me directly at president@nyguild.org. 

Much as the general public does, we rely on the kind of reporting that has many of you tirelessly working to keep the world informed. We will continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and guidelines from local, national and international agencies, like the World Health Organization and the CDC. 

Most critically, we are diligently following up with employers as the public health crisis deepens and workplace conditions and protocols change. Unit leaders and your Local representatives will provide updates as they receive them, and I encourage you to stay in contact as well. Many of you have been informing us of potential risks in your newsrooms, and we ask that you continue to do so — your safety and that of your colleagues is of utmost concern to us. 

As I noted before, if you are not working remotely and are in the field or office, please follow safety precautions and don’t take unnecessary risks. If you are experiencing any problems getting permission to work remotely or your managers are unresponsive to concerns about potential work-related exposure to the virus, contact your Unit leadership or a Local Representative immediately. 

Your Executive Committee, Unit officers and Guild staff are working hard to continue our mission of securing and enforcing our contracts and advocating for our members, even as we exercise appropriate caution in our personal interactions. The work doesn’t stop. We are proceeding with scheduled bargaining as much as possible and Local-wide or Unit-specific Guild meetings will be conducted via video and phone conferences.  

And finally, although where you work may have temporarily changed, your working conditions — and your contract — remain in effect. So for those devoting hours on end to keeping us all up to date, please make sure you file your shift differentials and overtime. 

I have been inspired watching you all support and encourage each other during these last chaotic weeks. It’s a testament to your dedication to your profession, your audience, your colleagues and your Guild. Thank you all for your work, both on the job and on behalf of your union. 

Please reach out with concerns and questions or any developments you think may be important for us to know. 

In solidarity, 

Susan DeCarava,
President | The NewsGuild of New York 
president@nyguild.org