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D&C journalists reach tentative agreement with Gannett
Many Rochester elected leaders joined striking Democrat and Chronicle journalists on the picket line in April. The union representing employees says a tentative contract has now been reached. (File photo by Kevin Oklobzija)
Many Rochester elected leaders joined striking Democrat and Chronicle journalists on the picket line in April. The union representing employees says a tentative contract has now been reached. (File photo by Kevin Oklobzija)
D&C journalists reach tentative agreement with Gannett
Listen to this articleThe two dozen unionized journalists at the Democrat and Chronicle and Canandaigua Daily Messenger have unanimously ratified terms on a two-year collective bargaining contract with parent news organization Gannett Co. Inc.
The tentative agreement — which provides significant salary increases as well as workforce reduction protections — is the culmination of 2 1/2 years of negotiations and a 19-day strike in April.
“We sincerely believe these terms benefit our hard-working and talented journalists while positioning our local publications to continue providing stability and growth,” the NewsGuild of Rochester and management of the publications said jointly in a prepared statement.
The new contract includes:
• An average raise of 15 percent over the contract’s two years after years of salary stagnation;
• More significant raises — as much as $10,000 to $20,000 — for those the union said had been “grossly underpaid;”
• A minimum salary scale that, the union says, “recognizes years of service and corrects for long-standing pay inequities;”
• A $1,000 bonus for all employees once the contract becomes official;
• New layoff protections, which include notice, a seniority basis for layoffs, guaranteed severance and a one-year recall period, none of which was included in the previous contract. There also can be no dismissals related to the the measures that led to a new contract.
• New protections concerning discipline and discharge, including elimination of the previous “editorial exception” clause that gave management the right to terminate anyone for performance issues without arbitration.
“We were sick and tired of stagnant wages and virtually no protections in the workplace,” said photojournalist Tina MacIntyre-Yee, secretary of the local guild. “We fought together and stood strong. We wanted to see everyone be paid what they were worth and we were willing to fight for it.”
The end to labor strife will allow both sides to focus on providing news and information to readers.
“We are in agreement our priority is to serve the ever-changing needs of audiences in Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region with trusted local journalism for the benefit of our communities,” the joint statement said.
“We have a real opportunity moving forward in Rochester and Canandaigua for labor and management to partner in meeting the many challenges our industry faces with creativity and in a spirit of mutual respect.”
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