Desert Sun NewsGuild

03/03/2024

After three years of bargaining for our first contract, we're thrilled to have an agreement in place that will have immediate and long-term benefits for our newsroom and for local journalism in the Coachella Valley.

Here are some highlights from the contract:

03/03/2024

BREAKING: The Desert Sun NewsGuild has reached an agreement for its first contract!!! We’re thrilled to have a deal with immediate, life-changing raises for many of our members, annual raises for every member, and crucial workplace protections. Our members are ready and excited to return to work this coming week.

More details to come, but first: THANK YOU! When we fight, WE WIN!!!✊🔥🗞️

03/01/2024

Support our strike! Write a letter to Gannett executives telling them you're standing strong with striking journalists in demand of a fair contract: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-journalists-at-the-desert-sun-fighting-for-a-fair-contract

My name is Veronica Serrano and I was an editorial assistant at the Austin Ameri… Veronica Serrano needs your support for The Desert Sun NewsGuild Strike Fund

03/01/2024

IT'S OFFICIAL: AS OF 7 A.M. TODAY, THE DESERT SUN NEWSGUILD IS NOW ON STRIKE.

The decision to go on the first open ended strike in Desert Sun history was not one we came to easily.

We love our jobs, the paper we write for and the community and readers we serve. But that's why after three years of bargaining, we couldn't keep waiting for Gannett to stop stuffing CEO Mike Reed's pockets long enough to agree to provide the regular raises that will allow us to keep serving the community and our paper to remain viable.

Here's five easy ways to support us during the strike, which will continue until further notice:

1. Do NOT read, click on or otherwise engage with any Desert Sun content during the strike.

2. If someone asks to talk to you for a story in the Desert Sun, do not speak to them.

3. Write a letter of support to Gannett executives here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-journalists-at-the-desert-sun-fighting-for-a-fair-contract

4. Donate to our strike fund here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-desert-sun-newsguild-strike-fund

5. Do NOT advertise in The Desert Sun during the strike.

6. Spread the word about the strike, the need to boycott The Desert Sun and the ways to show support.

Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper chain, has shed nearly half its workforce since 2019 and eliminated many of the resources necessary for local, in-depth journalism. Yet journalists at The Desert Sun keep fighting every day to provide you with necessary news and share important stories about...

03/01/2024

BREAKING: Unionized journalists of The Desert Sun NewsGuild launched an open-ended ULP strike today after three years of bargaining with Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper chain.

Our members demand a fair contract that will protect and enhance the future of local journalism in the Coachella Valley.✊🔥⚡️

02/23/2024

BREAKING: A supermajority of The Desert Sun NewsGuild has voted to authorize a ULP strike. The vote comes after three years of bargaining, with Gannett refusing to offer consistent cost-of-living raises and health care protections that allow our members to sustainably live in the Coachella Valley. More updates to come ✊🔥

12/19/2023

Our members proudly spread the word to the community about our fight for a fair contract from our owner, Gannett, during today's lunch-out rally.

Local journalists deserve steady raises that reflect the soaring cost of living in the Coachella Valley, or else we cannot afford to stay in and cover these communities that we care deeply about. We’re prepared to walk out soon if Gannett doesn’t get serious at the bargaining table.

12/19/2023

TODAY AT 12:15: Come join our members in downtown Palm Springs as we spread the word about our contract campaign and
our owner Gannett's refusal to offer a fair wage package!✊🗣️

12/19/2023

🚨TOMORROW AT 12:15🚨 Join our guild members in downtown Palm Springs as we rally for a fair contract from Gannett, the true Grinch of the holiday season.

After nearly three years of fighting for our first contract, we're demanding consistent raises for our members that reflect the soaring costs of living in the valley. Join us!⤵️

12/13/2023

We’re in the final push to reach an agreement on our first contract — but we need your help to finish the job. Despite recent progress in negotiations, our owner Gannett still doesn’t want to grant raises to its journalists until they've reached **six years** of service in the newsroom — AND it doesn’t want to guarantee any raises to veteran reporters after year 12.

That’s where you come in: Please consider writing a letter to our bosses letting them know that their short-sighted approach will diminish the quality of local journalism in the Coachella Valley. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-journalists-at-the-desert-sun-fighting-for-a-fair-contract/

As we prepare for actions to get our contract over the finish line, you can also support our cause by donating to our strike fund. Every contribution will go toward supporting local journalists during future work stoppages: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-desert-sun-newsguild-strike-fund.

We greatly appreciate your solidarity!

Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper chain, has shed nearly half its workforce since 2019 and eliminated many of the resources necessary for local, in-depth journalism. Yet journalists at The Desert Sun keep fighting every day to provide you with necessary news and share important stories about...

11/29/2023

An update from us: In the last few months, we’ve made some progress in our bargaining with our parent company Gannett — but we need your help in our final push for a fair contract.

Right now, Gannett only wants to give us our first guaranteed raises after **SIX YEARS** of service with the company. It’s an unrealistic threshold that prevents our members from any sort of long-term future in the community.

We ask for your support starting on this ahead of upcoming actions/strikes, with more updates coming soon:

My name is Veronica Serrano and I was an editorial assistant at the Austin Ameri… Veronica Serrano needs your support for The Desert Sun NewsGuild Strike Fund

06/16/2023

🔥Our union's fight to protect local journalism is making its way to the halls of Congress!

We want to thank U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla for his support of our week-long strike and his mention of the movement that we're proud to be a part of alongside journalists nationwide.

Sen. Padilla shouted out our unit and the Media Guild of the West in his testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday as they considered legislation addressing how Big Tech gutted the business models local newspapers once thrived on.✊