Bargaining Update

Insider

After a two-year fight for a first contract and a 13-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike, members of Insider Union (TNG-CWA Local 31003) announced on Wednesday that they have reached a tentative agreement with management. The three-year agreement is a huge win for union workers at Insider and includes a wage floor of $65,000, immediate raises for the vast majority of union members, a  layoff moratorium through the end of the year, just cause protections, and a commitment of more than $400,000 in healthcare cost reimbursements over the course of the agreement. It also settles a ULP related to management’s unilateral changing of workers’ health care coverage.

This momentous win is a testament to the solidarity and power of the workers and their supporters who marched, texted, flyered, rallied, wrote articles, and mobilized online to keep the pressure on. “We came together and refused to settle for anything less than what we were worth, and our collective power won a contract that will resonate in newsrooms across the country. It’s never an easy decision to go on strike, but today’s victory proves it was well worth it. We’re excited to get back to work with our new wins in hand,” said Dorian Barranco, a member of the Insider Union bargaining committee. Once ratified, the Insider Union agreement will be the latest in a wave of NewsGuild contracts that are resetting industry standards.

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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Gannett, and Insider

Late Thursday, the White House offered support for NewsGuild-CWA members who have been on unfair labor practice strikes across the country this month. Hundreds of journalists have been on strike at different outlets, including Insider and two dozen Gannett newsrooms, while journalists, mailers, advertising salespeople, and accounts receivable workers at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette remain on strike. 

In a statement provided exclusively to the Insider Union’s strike publication Business Outsider, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre threw the administration’s support behind recent newsroom unfair labor practice strikes breaking out in local newsrooms and digital outlets. “Across the country, we’ve seen a historic wave of newsrooms demanding fair pay and benefits. This week alone, journalists at Gannett, Insider, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette remain on strike,” said Jean-Pierre. “All workers deserve a voice in the workplace, and journalists are no different.”

Read more here.

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Paizo

Last Tuesday, members of United Paizo Workers (UPW)/CWA Local 7800, ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. The agreement breaks new ground in the tabletop games industry and is the first CODE-CWA games industry contract. UPW-CWA won voluntary recognition from Paizo, maker of hit tabletop games like Pathfinder and Starfinder, in October 2021. The new collective bargaining agreement includes across the board raises, preserved and expanded benefits, and enhanced protections for workers. UPW-CWA members are thrilled to now be able to point to their contract in order to demonstrate the "union difference" to inspire other workers in the tabletop games industry to organize.

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Northstar Aerospace

Last Wednesday, striking workers at Northstar Aerospace, members of IUE-CWA Local 14430, held a mass rally with family members, friends, and fellow supporters to demonstrate their dedication to achieving equitable treatment and compensation. The workers, who are part of a vital component of Apache and Chinook helicopter parts production, went on strike last Monday in response to the company’s deceptive bargaining tactics, which led to the union filing an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

"Our strike reflects our commitment to being recognized for our contributions to the company's success and bargaining in good faith," affirmed Dave Gerard, President of Local 14430 and a Northstar employee. "As a single-source provider of these crucial parts, Northstar has no alternative but to come to the negotiating table."

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Books and Rattles

After more than a year of negotiations, workers at Books and Rattles, members of CWA Local 1180, overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract. This hard-fought agreement includes substantial wage increases across the board for all members as well as longevity increases and new protections in working conditions for the hard-working teachers, teaching assistants, and therapists at Books and Rattles.

"Our members fought hard and stayed strong during the past few months to demand a fair contract that addressed their needs and the needs of their families. We are proud of the work they do as education professionals in New York City and appreciate that management worked with us to ensure they receive competitive salaries and benefits," said Gloria Middleton, President of CWA Local 1180.