Digital reporter speaks out on why she unionized

The NewsGuild-CWA released a new video today on the importance of digital newsrooms organizing, featuring a Guardian US reporter talking about why she and her colleagues decided to unionize, what it means for the media industry at large and the steps they took to make that decision.

“I think the most important thing through this whole process has been that it’s given the employees a collective voice. We’re all the future of journalism right now, and we need to make sure the industry we’re entering will be safe and stable long term,” Amanda Holpuch, Guardian US reporter and NewsGuild member, said in the video. “Asking for a living wage, reasonable hours, and health benefits; that’s saying we are legitimate employees and this is a legitimate industry. We need to set that standard now.”

Writers and staff members of The Guardian US voted in July to join The NewsGuild-CWA in a unanimous vote, held through an expedited election agreed to by The Guardian’s management and staff. Forty-five staffers participated in the election. The announcement is part of a series of organizing victories for digital news reporters, including a recent vote by Al Jazeera America’s digital staff to join The NewsGuild of New York.

The NewsGuild-CWA has represented digital workers for over 20 years, first as print and broadcast employers expanded online, and later in digital-only operations. Today, it represents over 2,000 digital workers. They range from staff members at The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Associated Press, Reuters, Boston.Com, SFGate and Philly.com to writers at The Daily Beast, Truthout and In these Times.

Guardian US reporter talks about why they unionized (CWA YouTube, Oct. 16, 2015)