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Tag: Signal Ohio

  • Signal Ohio Workers Walk Out Amidst Stalled Bargaining Talks – Cleveland Scene

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    Signal Ohio journalists in three cities walked out of their jobs for two hours on Tuesday to protest what they say are delays in negotiating with management and management’s current insistence that each city be its own bargaining unit, instead of a single, unified group.

    Since late August, roughly 14 full-time reporters—in Cleveland, Akron and Columbus—have pushed a union drive as a natural next step for the well-funded, three-year-old nonprofit journalism outlet. Signal has 35 employees total; 80 percent signed union cards.

    Employees walked out at noon today after publicly chastising management for hiring Jackson Lewis, a law firm know for its aggressive anti-union tactics, to handle discussions instead of voluntarily recognzing the union.

    The forming group, the Signal Ohio News Workers Guild, said they would bring the National Labor Relations Board into the mix if their single union isn’t recognized by 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

    “We’ve tried to address issues in-house,” reporter Doug Brown, of Signal Akron, wrote. “But ultimately our union is made up of courageous people who have dedicated their careers to accountability, transparency, and community—so here we are.”

    “It’s been a long, disappointing two weeks of silence from our leadership,” reporter Amy Morona said. “There’s still time for them to do the right thing by recognizing our statewide news organization as one bargaining unit.”

    Signal Ohio CEO Rita McNeil Danish and Board President Doug Ulman in a statement said:

    “Signal Ohio has received a petition from our colleagues, through the Northeast Ohio Newspaper Guild, requesting to form a union. We are in the process of reviewing that petition and will respond accordingly. We respect our employees’ right to consider union representation and to make their own choices about it.

    “As this process moves forward, we’re committed to open, respectful conversations and to supporting every member of our team. Our priority will always be creating a positive, inclusive and supportive workplace while staying focused on our mission of strengthening local journalism and helping our communities stay informed. We deeply value the people who make Signal Ohio what it is. Their work is vital to our community, and we will approach this process with respect and good faith.”

    Some 28 Signal Ohio employees are set to join the Northeast Ohio NewsGuild, Local 34001 of Communications Workers of America. They would join four other Northeast Ohio newsrooms at Local 1, including the Canton Repository.

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    Mark Oprea

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  • Signal Ohio Workers Walk Out Amidst Stalled Bargaining Talks

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    Signal Cleveland

    Staff at the civic-minded journalism nonprofit walked out on Tuesday amidst a statewide push for a union.

    Signal Ohio journalists in three cities walked out of their jobs for two hours on Tuesday to protest what they say are delays in negotiating with management and management’s current insistence that each city be its own bargaining unit, instead of a single, unified group.

    Since late August, roughly 14 full-time reporters—in Cleveland, Akron and Columbus—have pushed a union drive as a natural next step for the well-funded, three-year-old nonprofit journalism outlet. Signal has 35 employees total; 80 percent signed union cards.

    Employees walked out at noon today after publicly chastising management for hiring Jackson Lewis, a law firm know for its aggressive anti-union tactics, to handle discussions instead of voluntarily recognzing the union.

    The forming group, the Signal Ohio News Workers Guild, said they would bring the National Labor Relations Board into the mix if their single union isn’t recognized by 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

    “We’ve tried to address issues in-house,” reporter Doug Brown, of Signal Akron, wrote. “But ultimately our union is made up of courageous people who have dedicated their careers to accountability, transparency, and community—so here we are.”

    “It’s been a long, disappointing two weeks of silence from our leadership,” reporter Amy Morona said. “There’s still time for them to do the right thing by recognizing our statewide news organization as one bargaining unit.”

    A message to Signal Ohio executives was not returned by Tuesday afternoon.

    Late last week, in response to questions about the current state of negotiations, the organization issued a statement to Scene on behalf of Signal Ohio CEO Rita McNeil Danish and Board President Doug Ulman saying:

    “Signal Ohio is a beacon of hope for local journalism after decades of decline in newsrooms. Local news is essential in our communities, and Signal Ohio is determined to be one of the leaders in forging that path forward.

    “We respect unionization and the rights of any employee to explore joining a union, and we are committed to fostering a work environment of mutual respect, where all employees are fully informed and comfortable making their own decision about this very important issue.

    “We have agreed to recognize the right of our employees to organize and while there are many details to work out, we look forward to negotiating through this process and reaching an agreement that is fair for all and continues to put the communities we are privileged to serve at the forefront.”

    Some 28 Signal Ohio employees are set to join the Northeast Ohio NewsGuild, Local 34001 of Communications Workers of America. They would join four other Northeast Ohio newsrooms at Local 1, including the Canton Repository.

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    Mark Oprea

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  • Signal Ohio’s Newsrooms Are Unionizing

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    Signal Cleveland

    Staff at the civic-minded journalism nonprofit are forming a union

    Reporters at Signal Ohio’s three newsrooms today announced their union drive.

    The three-year old nonprofit journalism outfit, funded by millions of dollars from local and national foundations and organizations, operates locally in Cleveland and Akron with a statehouse bureau in Columbus. Plans have already been announced to open a fourth newsroom in Cincinnati.

    All 14 full-time reporters at the organization are backing a union drive, according to a release, in an effort to keep reporting strong. Signal’s newsrooms in Cleveland and Akron cover community-driven topics, write explainers on civic life, and report on local government, health and labor. Signal’s statewide coverage includes reporting on the Statehouse and higher education. It also operates local Documenter programs, where residents are paid to cover regular governmental meetings.

    Officially dubbed the Signal Ohio News Workers Guild, the group is joining the Northeast Ohio NewsGuild, Local 34001 of Communications Workers of America. If solidified, the union will also join four other Northeast Ohio newsrooms at Local 1, which includes the Canton Repository.

    In a statement to press, the union-eligible—about 80 percent of the company—framed the push as a natural part of growing up as a new media outlet. Signal Ohio has roughly 35 employees as of this month, with plans to expand to 50.

    “We care deeply about the communities we serve and the journalism we produce,” those employees said in a statement. “Many of us are founding members of our newsrooms, the first of which launched nearly three years ago, and all of us are committed to seeing them succeed.”

    The members are asking for Signal Ohio to voluntarily recognize the union and begin negotiating on a contract.

    “My role has led me to telling the stories of the working class citizens who are the heartbeat of the city,” Najee Hall, Signal Cleveland’s Community Reporter, said in a release. “Supporting unions means supporting the rights of people to stand together, negotiate fairly and build a future rooted in mutual respect and shared success.”

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    Mark Oprea

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