Press Release: NewsGuild of New York Members Ratify New Three-Year Agreement at Thomson Reuters

For Immediate Release:
December 15, 2017

For Media Inquiries:
Josh Austin, josh@nyguild.org | 484-269-0158

New York, NY — Last night, the unionized journalists and media employees at the Thomson Reuters unit of the NewsGuild of New York, the union that represents nearly 3,000 media professionals working in the New York City metro area, overwhelmingly voted to approve a new contract with Thomson Reuters.

The new agreement, which remains in effect through December 2020, comes after three years of intense negotiations with management. During that time Guild members worked without the benefit of a contract, though the terms and conditions of the previous agreement remained in effect. Negotiations for this contract began in July 2014.

Upon ratification, every Guild member will receive an minimum increase of 2.25% for 2018, with the first 1%  effective Jan. 1, 2018. Additionally, members will receive a guaranteed 2% general wage increase in subsequent years of the contract — a significant raise compared to management’s initial zero percent offer — along with the company’s annual distribution of discretionary pay increases.

“Though this was a very difficult process,” said Dan Grebler, Unit Chair and Reuters Desk Editor, “I’m pleased with the end result. We were able to move management from no guaranteed wage increases to three years of guaranteed wage increases. We insisted throughout this fight that ‘we’re worth more,’ and this contract reflects management’s recognition of that.”

The Guild was able able to expand and strengthen its parental leave package for union members. Now, Guild-covered Reuters employees will receive 12 weeks of paid parental leave as compared to six weeks in the previous contract. The deal also preserves the union’s robust health care plan.

Additionally, Guild-represented journalists at Reuters will now be fairly compensated with extra pay for shifts and hours that extend beyond the normal work week including being on standby, as well as for overnight and weekend shifts.

“This has been an exhaustive three years for our members,” said NewsGuild of New York President Grant Glickson. “Our members have fought very hard, and participated in countless actions, for a contract that they deserved three years ago. Let this agreement be an example of what happens when media professionals come together to fight for a necessary contract.”

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About the NewsGuild of New York
The NewsGuild of New York is the union for news professionals in America’s media capital. We are the workplace advocate for people in the media business, including some of the best journalists in the country. The national NewsGuild is the largest union for news professionals — and we are its biggest local, fearlessly representing nearly 3,000 journalists and other media employees at New York-based media organizations and their respective bureaus. We understand journalism, from print to digital to broadcast.