{"id":2482,"date":"2026-05-22T10:41:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T10:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/05\/22\/local-us-newspaper-workers-allege-hearst-is-trying-to-destroy-unions\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T10:41:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T10:41:30","slug":"local-us-newspaper-workers-allege-hearst-is-trying-to-destroy-unions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=2482","title":{"rendered":"Local US newspaper workers allege Hearst is trying to \u2018destroy unions\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-color:var(--article-border);background-color:var(--article-inner-background)\" class=\"dcr-wqti5a\">\n<div class=\"dcr-2zxs1v\">\n<div style=\"--grid-area:media\" data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"9951c35c-d7bc-46c6-bcbc-a2b972a6f4c1\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A sign reading 'HEARST corporat' in white text on a dark brown rectangular panel\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/9d09cd56afa1f19dd2709887c29243872c9e387d\/8_0_2992_1580\/master\/2992.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"245.5548128342246\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><span class=\"dcr-v822l1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-gup2gr\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fntg6k\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-1xgwz8b\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1os51wo\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">The Hearst tower in New York City on 15 June 2006.<\/span> Photograph: Mario Tama\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"9951c35c-d7bc-46c6-bcbc-a2b972a6f4c1\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-n4pnam\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1hdkqum\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">The Hearst tower in New York City on 15 June 2006.<\/span> Photograph: Mario Tama\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:border\" data-gu-name=\"border\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:headline\" data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aqe7zu\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">Local US newspaper workers allege Hearst is trying to \u2018destroy unions\u2019<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:standfirst\" data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-15in7js\">\n<p>Media company says it is \u2018committed to good faith bargaining\u2019 amid claims including contract violation<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:body\" data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-kn9unn\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-1c9t5u6\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Workers at local newspapers owned by Hearst allege the company is trying to \u201cdestroy unions\u201d amid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlrb.gov\/search\/case\/Hearst?f%5B0%5D=case_type:C&amp;s%5B0%5D=Open\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">claims<\/a> of widespread anti-union tactics, including violating union contracts and bad-faith bargaining.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Albany Newspaper Guild, which represents the Times Union newspaper in Albany, New York, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/support-times-union-workers-during-walkout\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">said<\/a> it\u2019s been more than 17 years since the union had a contract and there has been little progress toward reaching a new one.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Wendy Liberatore, president of the Albany Newspaper Guild and the Saratoga county reporter at the Times Union, said the lack of pay increases at the newspaper has burdened employees who struggle to afford a higher cost of living, including higher deductibles for their healthcare plan. She also said that workers are concerned about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/hearst\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Hearst<\/a> eventually outsourcing jobs to AI.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cWhat bothers me is the effect on our members. It really hurts our members,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Liberatore noted the issue is seen across Hearst publications across the country. \u201cHearst newspaper management \u2013 in Albany, Connecticut, Austin and Dallas \u2013 is doing its best to destroy unions at its papers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Hearst Corporation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/newspapers\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">owns<\/a> 30 daily newspapers and 50 weekly newspapers across the US, and is one of the largest media companies in the world. The company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/02\/17\/hearst-revenue-profits\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">reported<\/a> record revenues and profits in 2025, with revenue growing 3% to $13.5bn. Hearst employs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/hearst-np\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">about 2,500 workers<\/a> at its newspapers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Albany Newspaper Guild is one of five guilds representing workers at local newspapers in Connecticut, Texas, New York and California that have filed formal complaints against Hearst for unfair labor practices.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a statement, Hearst said the company cannot comment on pending unfair labor practice complaints but is \u201ccommitted to good faith bargaining and have actively met with union representatives across our properties for years\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cHearst <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/newspapers\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Newspapers<\/a> stands out among peers for maintaining competitive and sustainable wages and benefits. We have maintained an annual merit cycle for many years, and all union-represented employees who meet performance expectations have received increases even during contract negotiations. Claims of stagnant wages are simply inaccurate,\u201d a spokesperson for Hearst Newspapers said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The spokesperson also noted that Hearst has \u201ca strict policy governing the use of artificial intelligence in our newsrooms, and it always operates with human oversight\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">When Hearst <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/-\/hearst-to-acquire-the-austin-american-statesman-from-gannett-co.-inc.\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">acquired<\/a> the Austin American-Statesman in Texas in February 2025, the company <a href=\"https:\/\/actionnetwork.org\/petitions\/tell-hearst-respect-austins-local-news?nowrapper=true&amp;referrer=&amp;source=\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">discarded<\/a> the contract that the workers with the Austin NewsGuild had <a href=\"https:\/\/actionnetwork.org\/petitions\/tell-hearst-respect-austins-local-news?nowrapper=true&amp;referrer=&amp;source=\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">reached<\/a> with Gannett, the paper\u2019s previous owner, in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Nicole Villalpando, chair of the Austin NewsGuild and a health reporter at the Austin American-Statesman, said that after the acquisition, workers lost the pay raise guarantees and bolstered benefits they had in their contract with Gannett.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Hearst \u201cbasically took the worst parts of our Gannett contract and the worst parts of Hearst policy\u201d when setting out new terms with employees, Villalpando said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Workers with the Austin NewsGuild have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/support-the-austin-americanstatesman-newsguild-strike-fund?attribution_id=sl:d39c9834-f1de-47c9-a72d-66b71dc5754a&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1761260557&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">raising money<\/a> for a potential strike as the union has not reached a new deal with Hearst.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a statement, the company said it gave Austin American-Statesman employees a sign-on bonus, along with increasing the newsroom minimum salary and other benefits, after the acquisition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Meanwhile, workers with the Dallas News Guild, which represents the Dallas Morning News, filed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlrb.gov\/case\/16-CA-375978\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">complaint<\/a> with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claiming that Hearst violated the union contract after it laid off 26 employees in November, two months after it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poynter.org\/business-work\/2025\/hearst-buys-the-the-dallas-morning-news-and-140-years-of-local-ownership-ends\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">acquired<\/a> the publication. The Dallas News Guild contract remains in place but is set to <a href=\"https:\/\/newsguild.org\/journalists-at-dallas-morning-news-ratify-first-contract\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">expire<\/a> 30 June.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThese Hearst units, we talk to each other, we know what each of us are proposing and what the responses have been like, and it hasn\u2019t been very encouraging,\u201d said Zaira Perez Viera, a Dallas News Guild member and journalist at the Dallas Morning News. \u201cIt takes a lot of heart and strength to be able to stand up with your co-workers to say you want something better for yourselves, just to be able to continue to do the work that you\u2019re doing, and hope that you build a place where others of the future can still be coming here to do journalism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cRealistically, how many of us can keep doing this if we don\u2019t make enough money to be able to thrive in a place like Dallas-Fort Worth?\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"c8f166c1-fe5a-4e1e-98d1-8944d15166ff\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-18 | 18\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1kyw41h\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-1bg5532\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/20\/how-much-companies-spend-fight-unions\" class=\"dcr-1m887w9\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-ut4tvs\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h5b6rb\">\n<div class=\"dcr-169d7yv\"> US employers spend more than $1.5bn a year to fight labor unions, report finds<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-eurq8n\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fkf7vq\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a statement, Hearst said the layoffs \u201cinvolved roles that were affected by the integration into our centralized page design and pagination team\u201d, and that the company opened 18 new positions that the affected employees were encouraged to apply for.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In Connecticut, more than 100 workers at Hearst Connecticut Media Group unionized in May 2025, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyguild.org\/post\/a-major-win-for-unionized-hearst-journalists\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">nearly 80% voting<\/a> in favor, though Hearst initially delayed the union election by challenging the scope of the unit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Though the NLRB dismissed Hearst\u2019s objection to the election results in March, the board has not yet responded to numerous unfair labor practice complaints the Connecticut guild <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyguild.org\/post\/a-major-win-for-unionized-hearst-journalists\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">filed<\/a> against the company alleging refusal to bargain, retaliation and unilateral changes to working conditions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIt\u2019s been a lot of stalling,\u201d said Brian Zahn, unit chair of the Connecticut News Guild and a municipal government reporter at the Hearst Connecticut Media Group. But he remains hopeful that workers will be able to fight for a contract.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Zahn noted their first bargaining date is scheduled for 1 June, \u201calmost two years after we had first went public with our union drive\u201d, he added. \u201cSince then, our unit has remained strong. We\u2019re very excited to bargain a first contract.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a statement, Hearst said it will \u201ccome to the table in good faith\u201d with the Connecticut NewsGuild in June.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1rrvs2w\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-unions\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">US unions<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/media\/hearst\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Hearst<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/media\/newspapers\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Newspapers<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/media\/pressandpublishing\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Newspapers &amp; magazines<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Local%20US%20newspaper%20workers%20allege%20Hearst%20is%20trying%20to%20%E2%80%98destroy%20unions%E2%80%99&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/22\/newspaper-hearst-unions-workers?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fmay%2F22%2Fnewspaper-hearst-unions-workers&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/may\/22\/newspaper-hearst-unions-workers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:right-column\" data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1h2hraq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tn16h9\">\n<section class=\"dcr-1hko8ef\"><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Hearst tower in New York City on 15 June 2006. Photograph: Mario Tama\/Getty Images View image in<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2482"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2482\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}