Sherrill Leads NJ Democratic House Delegation in Standing up for Local Journalism and Workers

WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) led the entire Democratic New Jersey House delegation in demanding that Gannett – the owner of several local New Jersey newspapers and publications – bargain in good faith with their employees and reach a contract agreement as quickly as possible that provides fair wages and benefits. The lawmakers also urged Gannett to end all unfair, retaliatory labor practices that undermine workers’ lawful collective bargaining rights. 

The letter was co-led by Representative Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and additional co-signers included Reps. Herb Conaway Jr. (NJ-03), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

“New Jersey families, our economy, and our democracy rely on local journalism. From traffic and weather reports, to updates from town council meetings and investigative journalism that holds the people in power accountable, local journalism provides accessible and transparent information all across the Garden State. However, in recent years, far too many of New Jersey’s news outlets have closed their doors, and our local journalists often do not make enough to live and support their families in a high cost state like New Jersey. That’s why I am leading New Jersey’s Democratic House lawmakers to demand that Gannett returns to the negotiating table to reach a fair contract that promotes good wages and working conditions for our local journalists,” said Rep. Sherrill.

Read the full letter here and below:

Mike Reed

Chief Executive Officer

Gannett Co., Inc.

1675 Broadway, 23rd Floor

New York, NY 10019

Dear Mr. Reed:

Our constituents rely on local, independent journalism to stay informed on key issues, gain transparent access to the workings of our political and economic systems, and hold those in power accountable for their actions. Journalists play a critical role in protecting American democracy and safeguarding our core freedoms and values. However, in New Jersey and nationwide, local newspapers have been decimated over the past decade and have seen their staffing levels dramatically cut. Many journalists today work long hours for low pay and minimal benefits, all the while putting themselves in harm’s way to serve our communities. We believe that they deserve to earn a living wage that can support their family in a high-cost state like New Jersey, and that the future of high-quality journalism throughout the nation relies on good-paying jobs existing in the industry.

Furthermore, we know that collective bargaining rights and fair negotiations between workers and employers are critical to boosting wages, benefits, and job security for working families. It is critical that workers be able to exercise their legally protected organizing and bargaining rights without interference, and we are committed to ensuring that journalists have access to these protections in New Jersey.

With this in mind, we are greatly alarmed and disappointed that Gannett – after more than three years of negotiations with workers at several of your local New Jersey newspapers, including the Bergen Record, Daily Record, and NJ Herald – continues to delay progress in negotiations and hasn’t put forward a good faith contract offer, as required by the National Labor Relations Act, that provides good wages and job certainty to your employees in New Jersey. We are furthermore very concerned that Gannett remains the subject of multiple unfair labor practice complaints currently being heard by the National Labor Relations Board. These include allegations relating to overall bad faith bargaining on contracts, discriminating against bargaining unit employees regarding the terms and conditions of employment, refusing to bargain, and engaging in surface level bargaining.

Given this, we write today to urge you to bargain in good faith, in accordance with Section 8 of the NLRA, with your employees represented by the NewsGuild - Communications Workers of America and to settle contracts as quickly as possible that provide fair wages, benefits, and job security to your employees in New Jersey. We were pleased to see that tentative contract agreements that increase journalists’ pay and job protections were reached between Gannett and workers at three New Jersey publications last week – the Asbury Park Press, Home News Tribune, and Courier News. It is our hope that similar good-faith agreements can now be reached with your employees at the Bergen Record, Daily Record, and NJ Herald, and we urge both parties to work in good faith at your next bargaining session to reach a contract agreement as soon as possible.

We also urge you to immediately address the unfair labor practice complaints that are currently being heard by the NLRB under Section 158 of the NLRA and to cease any actions that unilaterally change your employees’ conditions of employment or discriminate against employees who are members of the bargaining unit.

We greatly appreciate the important role that your newspapers and publications play in providing accessible information and hard-hitting investigative journalism to our constituents in New Jersey. Local, independent journalism is essential to protecting American democracy and the rights of citizens. However, we believe that large job cuts and stagnant wages will endanger this critical function. It is essential that both parties return to the negotiating table and immediately work in good faith towards a contract that provides good wages, benefits, and job certainty to your employees. We look forward to staying engaged on this issue as bargaining continues, and will continue to stand with local journalists throughout New Jersey.

Sincerely, 

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