Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we need to form a union? Aren’t there other ways to address our grievances?

Forming a union is the only way we can negotiate a legally binding contract with management that clearly spells out our employment terms. Without such a contract, Law360 can set any terms and conditions of employment it wants. It can change our pay, benefits, or schedules at any time, without our input, or fire us without cause. If we don’t like it — well, too bad. We've tried taking our grievances to mangement, time and again, to no avail. Simply put, we don't have as much leverage individually as we do collectively. 

Many journalists — including our competitors at Reuters, Bloomberg BNA, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the Associated Press — already have union representation. It gives us a clear framework for meaningfully addressing issues with management, collectively.

But I thought that Law360 got rid of the noncompete. Isn’t that what this is all about?

Law360 did agree to stop using and enforcing noncompetes, and we’re happy about that! But the truth is, they only did so after The NewsGuild initiated an investigation with the State Attorney General’s office. Just because they made the right decision under pressure doesn’t mean that we can trust them to act in our best interests in the future. By organizing, we'll have a say in our terms and conditions of employment, and will not have to rely on such drastic measures to force change in our workplace.

Why did we choose The NewsGuild of New York?             

The NewsGuild is the largest union for news professionals in the country, and The NewsGuild of New York is its biggest local, representing nearly 3,000 journalists, editors and other newsroom professionals. The Guild understands our industry. It has decades (80+ years!) of experience in improving the working conditions of news professionals. The NewsGuild is part of the Communications Workers of America, one of the largest unions in the country.

When is the election, and when do we find out the results?

The election is scheduled for August 10th in the NYC, LA and DC offices. The company is required to post the election details in the office, as well as send them to all editorial employees electronically. For those working outside of those offices, mail-in ballots will be sent on August 9th, and must be returned to the NLRB in the pre-paid envelope provided. Mail-in ballots must be received by the NLRB by August 23rd. The final vote count will happen in New York on August 24th at the National Labor Relations Board offices at 26 Federal Plaza, at 10am. The vote is open to the public, and many of us will be there!

How many votes are needed to win the election?

In order to win the election, the union needs 50% + 1 of the votes. Only those who vote are counted; a non-vote is not counted as a “no."

What happens after the election?

Once the election results are finalized and the union is recognized as our bargaining representative, we’ll begin surveying what WE want out of our contract. We’ll also elect bargaining committee members, who will be tasked with looking over the survey results and determining what issues should be prioritized at the negotiating table.

The bargaining committee and management will then begin negotiations. The bargaining unit will be kept up to date on negotiations and members of the unit will have the opportunity to sit in on negotiating sessions if they like. Once a tentative agreement is reached, all employees in the unit will vote on the proposed contract. Once a majority votes yes for the contract, it is ratified.

What are our legal protections during the organizing process? Can any of us get fired or retaliated against for helping to organize or for voting Yes?       

It is illegal for an employer to retaliate against its employees for coming together to try and improve their working conditions. The National Labor Relations Act gives us the right to organize a union in our workplace. The company is barred from retaliating, threatening, or coercing employees from doing so. 

What are membership dues, and when will I start paying them?

Membership dues are 1.3846 percent of base pay, plus $1 month (which goes into the Guild Organizing Fund). Dues are not collected until our first contract is ratified, and are tax-deductible.

What do membership dues pay for?

Dues support the work the union does on our behalf, which is often done at significant cost. They pay for the staff that represent us, lawyers fees, arbitrations, office rent, trainings, workshops etc. The amount paid in dues is small in comparison with the higher pay and benefits that are usually gained through collective bargaining.  

Will my dues increase?

The dues percentage for The NewsGuild of New York has has always been set at the absolute minimum allowed under the the TNG constitution. There has never ever been an increase in that rate (1.3846%) in the union's history. 

I’m concerned that once the union is voted in, I won’t be able to take issues directly to management.     

Union representation doesn’t prevent employees from discussing pay and their jobs with their bosses. You’re free to ask for a raise. You’re free to discuss workplace issues, just as you are now. But benefits like health care, retirement plans, vacations and holidays — things that every employer applies on an across-the-board basis — do need to be negotiated with the Guild. Together, we have more leverage than we do as individuals.

Can management unilaterally make any changes to work conditions after the union is voted in?

No. Once management recognizes our union, all terms and conditions of our employment are locked in place until they are negotiated with our union at the bargaining table. Management must maintain the "status quo." 

I was told that once the union is voted in, I won’t be able to take issues directly to management without going through the Guild first.

Absolutely not. The Guild will only help you talk to management if you ask for help. Once you and your colleagues elect shop stewards, and other representatives, you can choose to have them sit in on meetings with management if you so desire. If you don’t need anyone, and feel comfortable discussing matters on your own, great. The Guild is not here to stand in your way.

Many employers try and scare their employees away from the union by painting it as a rigid third party that will stand in the way of managers and employees speaking, or managers agreeing to anything beneficial to their employees. That’s not the union's job.

Won’t this just make the workplace more antagonistic?

Having a union doesn’t mean we have to constantly be fighting our bosses. Instead, it gives us a predictable framework for meaningfully addressing issues with management. With such a framework, disputes wouldn’t turn into personal conflicts between bosses and powerless subordinates. The NewsGuild represents dozens of workplaces where their members enjoy healthy, productive relationships with their managers, supervisors and bosses, while also enjoying the protections and benefits their union contract affords them.

What is “just cause” and why is it important?            

Most American workers are at-will employees, meaning they can be fired for any reason, at any time and without notice. But those covered by “just cause” provisions have the right to correct and/or challenge any alleged job performance issue, because management must have “just cause” before it can discipline or fire employees.

This is critical for journalists because it gives them the right to openly, but professionally, disagree with their editors on newsroom issues without being subject to unjust reprisals. “Just cause” is not a right under the law. It is only available through collective bargaining. It is a cornerstone of all NewsGuild contracts, and the Guild negotiates fiercely for it.