faq
PART 1: THE BASICS
What do we mean when we say union?
When we talk about a union, we’re primarily referring to collective bargaining.
Collective bargaining is a process in which employees negotiate with management on an agreement that sets standards—pay rates, benefits and other employment terms—for the entire workplace. These agreements are legally enforceable contracts that guarantee employees certain rights, benefits and minimum pay.
Management will no longer be allowed to make sudden changes in personnel, benefits, or compensation. Having a union also makes our workplace more democratic. We’ll get a say, through both our democratically elected union representatives and through workplace solidarity.
Why is a union the best choice for the Gazette and the Advocate?
Most Gazette and Advocate employees have changes they’d like to see and problems they want to solve. A series of changes at the top of NNE and Gazette and Advocate leadership has affected our ability to do our jobs well. Right now, without union representation, NNE can change your assignments, pay, benefits, or schedule without your input. You’ve seen it happen. You may have even experienced it yourself.
Organizing gives us a protected way to push for fair treatment in the workplace. Through organizing, we’ll also gain more transparency and clarity from our managers. We can use our strength as a group to advocate for ourselves, our work and our community.
Where did the idea come from?
The idea for a union came from you! A group of employees contacted The NewsGuild—a union that just works with newspapers and media companies—to ask for help in moving forward with organizing. They have been with us for a year. They know us and our company, but it’s the employees here that are leading and driving this campaign.
Have other newspapers done this? Did it work?
Let’s be clear: We wouldn’t be here, fighting for this, if it didn’t work. Newspapers across the country have organized for better working conditions, many of them with The News Guild, and won higher pay, better hiring practices, severance agreements, and more.
PART 2: WHAT A UNION DOES FOR US
What do we get?
When we form a union, management is legally required to negotiate around our working conditions. We gain the right to make information requests around policy and financials– and if management says they can’t afford something we propose, we get to look at the books and advocate for smart allocation of resources. It doesn’t mean the decisions will be easy - it does mean that we’ll be part of making them, and that matters. It means the end of surprise layoffs and unannounced restructuring. It means the beginning of a real partnership between employees and management.
Organizing a union gives us the protections that we need to advocate for ourselves both individually and as a group, and it gives us a democratic voice.
Possible items in this category include:
But we also get something crucial that we don’t have now: a seat at the table, and a full picture of the company’s financial health. If management says they can’t afford something we want, we get to look at the books.
What do we have to give in order for this to work?
We give two things in order to benefit from union representation: money and time. News Guild average dues are 1.4% of your annual salary. For someone making $40,000 a year, that’s about $550, a year. That may sound like a lot, but the average salary increase in most first contracts is about 3% - which more than covers the cost of dues. And that’s not counting all the other potential benefits, like job security, savings on health insurance or more paid time off.
Plus, we don’t pay dues until we get that first contract. We don’t pay until things get better.
We will be electing some of our coworkers to go to the bargaining table. That’s a serious time commitment, but those folks will have an exciting front-row seat to making our workplace better for ALL employees.
PART 3: THE TOUGH STUFF
Will my job be threatened if I join the union?
No. Taking any action against someone because they are a union supporter is against the law. NNE/The Gazette cannot threaten to fire employees because they joined a union, or close down their operations because you organized.
I have a good relationship with my supervisor. Won’t this pit us against each other?
If you have a good relationship with your supervisor, chances are good that they want to see you well-supported in your job, with the resources to do it well.
In our union contract, we will develop clear rules around job security, pathways to promotions, pay, and other factors, which will provide useful guidance and expectations to both you and your supervisor.
What if we don’t have enough money to support a union workforce? Will the Gazette or the Advocate go under?
We would never agree to a contract that leaves us in a worse position than we are now – and that includes the closing of the Gazette or the Advocate! We want to see our papers in a healthy financial position to fully support their readers and workers.
That said: no union or union contract can stop a layoff from affecting its members. However, when we bargain together, employees are likely to get better terms, such as severance extended medical coverage, re-hire rights and transfer rights.
Collective bargaining agreements are the result of democratic processes. Every member of the staff can be involved in the process, and everyone gets to vote on the result.
What do we mean when we say union?
When we talk about a union, we’re primarily referring to collective bargaining.
Collective bargaining is a process in which employees negotiate with management on an agreement that sets standards—pay rates, benefits and other employment terms—for the entire workplace. These agreements are legally enforceable contracts that guarantee employees certain rights, benefits and minimum pay.
Management will no longer be allowed to make sudden changes in personnel, benefits, or compensation. Having a union also makes our workplace more democratic. We’ll get a say, through both our democratically elected union representatives and through workplace solidarity.
Why is a union the best choice for the Gazette and the Advocate?
Most Gazette and Advocate employees have changes they’d like to see and problems they want to solve. A series of changes at the top of NNE and Gazette and Advocate leadership has affected our ability to do our jobs well. Right now, without union representation, NNE can change your assignments, pay, benefits, or schedule without your input. You’ve seen it happen. You may have even experienced it yourself.
Organizing gives us a protected way to push for fair treatment in the workplace. Through organizing, we’ll also gain more transparency and clarity from our managers. We can use our strength as a group to advocate for ourselves, our work and our community.
Where did the idea come from?
The idea for a union came from you! A group of employees contacted The NewsGuild—a union that just works with newspapers and media companies—to ask for help in moving forward with organizing. They have been with us for a year. They know us and our company, but it’s the employees here that are leading and driving this campaign.
Have other newspapers done this? Did it work?
Let’s be clear: We wouldn’t be here, fighting for this, if it didn’t work. Newspapers across the country have organized for better working conditions, many of them with The News Guild, and won higher pay, better hiring practices, severance agreements, and more.
PART 2: WHAT A UNION DOES FOR US
What do we get?
When we form a union, management is legally required to negotiate around our working conditions. We gain the right to make information requests around policy and financials– and if management says they can’t afford something we propose, we get to look at the books and advocate for smart allocation of resources. It doesn’t mean the decisions will be easy - it does mean that we’ll be part of making them, and that matters. It means the end of surprise layoffs and unannounced restructuring. It means the beginning of a real partnership between employees and management.
Organizing a union gives us the protections that we need to advocate for ourselves both individually and as a group, and it gives us a democratic voice.
Possible items in this category include:
- Pay scale and equal pay regardless of gender, race, or age
- Comprehensive job descriptions that can't change without our agreement
- Cost-of-living increases
- Input in the evaluation process, and what it means.
- Guaranteed low premium/high coverage health benefits
- Advance notice of layoffs and layoff terms and conditions, like severance and benefits
But we also get something crucial that we don’t have now: a seat at the table, and a full picture of the company’s financial health. If management says they can’t afford something we want, we get to look at the books.
What do we have to give in order for this to work?
We give two things in order to benefit from union representation: money and time. News Guild average dues are 1.4% of your annual salary. For someone making $40,000 a year, that’s about $550, a year. That may sound like a lot, but the average salary increase in most first contracts is about 3% - which more than covers the cost of dues. And that’s not counting all the other potential benefits, like job security, savings on health insurance or more paid time off.
Plus, we don’t pay dues until we get that first contract. We don’t pay until things get better.
We will be electing some of our coworkers to go to the bargaining table. That’s a serious time commitment, but those folks will have an exciting front-row seat to making our workplace better for ALL employees.
PART 3: THE TOUGH STUFF
Will my job be threatened if I join the union?
No. Taking any action against someone because they are a union supporter is against the law. NNE/The Gazette cannot threaten to fire employees because they joined a union, or close down their operations because you organized.
I have a good relationship with my supervisor. Won’t this pit us against each other?
If you have a good relationship with your supervisor, chances are good that they want to see you well-supported in your job, with the resources to do it well.
In our union contract, we will develop clear rules around job security, pathways to promotions, pay, and other factors, which will provide useful guidance and expectations to both you and your supervisor.
What if we don’t have enough money to support a union workforce? Will the Gazette or the Advocate go under?
We would never agree to a contract that leaves us in a worse position than we are now – and that includes the closing of the Gazette or the Advocate! We want to see our papers in a healthy financial position to fully support their readers and workers.
That said: no union or union contract can stop a layoff from affecting its members. However, when we bargain together, employees are likely to get better terms, such as severance extended medical coverage, re-hire rights and transfer rights.
Collective bargaining agreements are the result of democratic processes. Every member of the staff can be involved in the process, and everyone gets to vote on the result.