The Texas Tribune Is Unionizing
Source: The Austin Chronicle
WED. JAN. 24, 2024
Just under six months after the Texas Tribune weathered its first-ever round of layoffs, staff announced this morning that they are unionizing with the NewsGuild-CWA and asking for voluntary recognition from management by January 31.
CEO Sonal Shah sent an email to staff 15 minutes after management was made aware of the union, writing, “Our response is simple. If Tribune employees want to be represented by a union, we will respect their right to representation… We respect our colleagues’ right to collectively bargain.”
Talk of unionizing began when management alluded to budget shortfalls in the spring of 2023, but it was the layoffs that “created a sense of urgency to mobilize across the newsroom,” says Uriel García, an immigration reporter based in El Paso. Those layoffs, which affected 11% of the staff, were shocking – particularly the decision to fire the Tribune’s only dedicated criminal justice and demographic reporters. Many journalists were frustrated by the lack of explanation from management about the rationale behind the cuts. (One particularly chilling theory is that the decision was swayed by public institutions that had pulled sponsorships, which make up a significant portion of the Tribune’s revenue.)
“The hope is the union will create an avenue for more transparency about the Tribune’s financial situation, and generate more of a dialogue between management and employers,” says higher education reporter Kate McGee. “This seemed like the right moment to ensure that we the employees have a voice in future conversations about where the Tribune is headed.”
Read more: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2024-01-24/the-texas-tribune-is-unionizing/
Union strong!