News media unionization has been steadily increasing for the past few years and 2020 was no different, with more than 1,800 journalists joining the NewsGuild and Writers Guild of America. This number is up from 1,500 in 2019.
A few years into its membership boom, and the NewsGuild is running into a problem though – they’re running out of money. Even though the union’s membership numbers have increased, its dues income is still a bit behind. Unions don’t start receiving money from new members until the first collective bargaining agreement is passed.
The Guild has been running a deficit since 2017, with reserves dropping lower and lower each year. Now, to keep up with its organizing efforts, the union would like to raise dues for its current dues-paying membership.
This month journalists at Forbes and The Kansas City Star announced their intent to organize and Gannett Papers in New Jersey voted to join the News Guild of New York.
