Striking Rochester D&C journalists demand ‘living wage’ from Gannett

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A strike by unionized journalists at the Democrat and Chronicle has entered a third day, with Gannett Co., Inc. accused of unfair labor practices by employees who say they deserve to be paid “a living wage.”

The strike began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday as the contract between NewsGuild-CWA and the Democrat and Chronicle expired. The union represents more than 50 bargaining units and 1,000 employees across a variety of Gannett publications.

Along with financial demands, the Rochester bargaining unit also is asking for what it terms basic protections while on the job as well as protections from the misuse of artificial intelligence in the generation of news coverage.

“Our work is what drives the success of the Democrat & Chronicle and Gannett, and we have no willingness to settle for less than we’re worth,” Gary Craig, criminal justice reporter, said in a news release. “Gannett has millions to spare on fat paychecks for its executives, but it doesn’t have enough to pay its reporters a living wage? Please.

“Gannett has the money, and we’re willing to fight as long and as hard as it takes to win what we deserve.”

Since the strike began, journalists from Gannett newspapers in Montgomery, Ala., and Spartanburg, S.C., have been in Rochester to write local stories on the solar eclipse, and a Florida-based editor also wrote a bylined story.

“Our goal is to preserve journalism and serve our community as we continue to bargain in good faith,” Amy Garrard, vice president of labor relations at Gannett, said in a prepared statement via email. “Democrat and Chronicle readers can be assured there will be no disruption to our ability to deliver content and trusted news.”

The NewsGuild is accusing Gannett of union-busting tactics while slashing journalists. In 2011, there were 86 employees in the D&C newsroom. Today there are 21.

The D&C was once Gannett’s flagship enterprise and company home under founder Frank Gannett.

“I’ve been on the bargaining team — on my own time — for two years now,” said food, drink and features reporter Tracy Schumacher. “The process of bargaining with Gannett has reminded me of the old cartoon of Charlie Brown kicking a football. Just when it seems like we’re making some kind of momentum, they inexplicably move the football.

“There is no evidence that this company has any intention of settling a fair and reasonable contract. If we didn’t take this action, we’d still be running at footballs and landing flat on our backs for the next one, two three years or more.”

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