ProPublica Workers Form Union, Joining NY NewsGuild

Fifteen years after ProPublica published its first investigation, employees of the award-winning, nonprofit investigative newsroom announced this week they are forming a union, the ProPublica Guild.

The ProPublica Guild announced their wall-to-wall unit with 90% support across the business and editorial sides of the newsroom. On Wednesday, members requested swift recognition of the ProPublica Guild from ProPublica President Robin Sparkman, Editor-in-Chief Stephen Engelberg and members of the masthead. The ProPublica Guild will be represented by The New York NewsGuild, CWA Local 31003.

In a mission statement distributed to all ProPublica staff and presented to management, employees said that forming a union is essential to preserving ProPublica’s values and making it a fairer, more secure workplace regardless of turbulence within the industry.

“For the past 15 years, ProPublica journalists have helped break some of the most important stories of our time and built ProPublica into an investigative powerhouse. Now, as ProPublica enters its next stage of growth, it is essential for all the workers at ProPublica to have baseline protections and standards they can rely on. I’m thrilled to welcome the people behind ProPublica’s success into The NewsGuild of New York. We support their demands for a seat at the table to fight for the workplace they deserve,” said Susan DeCarava, President of The NewsGuild of New York. Read more here.