Packet/Gazette and its journalists agree to create union
Newsroom employees working at the The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette will soon form a union, it was confirmed late Thursday.
The reporters and photographers at the two news organizations, which share a combined newsroom, are expected to become South Carolina’s first active newspaper union.
“I’m proud of the work that I do at the Packet, and I’m equally proud of the efforts my colleagues and I are making to improve our workplace,” education reporter Rachel Jones said in the news release about the planned Packet/Gazette Guild. “Creating these protections for our newsroom will ultimately lead to better coverage of Beaufort County, and it’s an honor to lead the way in organizing for the Carolinas.”
More than 80% of the eligible employees signed cards authorizing union representation by The Washington-Baltimore News Guild, Local 32035 of the Communications Workers of America, according to the release.
The employees said the purpose in unionizing is to give journalists a louder voice, ensure wage equity, and fair hiring processes that prioritize diversity, among other goals. The employees requested voluntary recognition from management Wednesday and, late Thursday, received it.
“We will move forward together with our newsroom colleagues at The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette to voluntarily recognize the union they have proposed,” said Brian Tolley, president and editor for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette. “This pathway allows us to accelerate the process of starting negotiations. We commend our reporters for their passion and commitment to the mission of local journalism and are grateful for their continued efforts to keep our community informed under very challenging circumstances.”
Both of the papers are owned by the McClatchy Co., which also owns The State in Columbia, as well as The Sun News in Myrtle Beach and The Herald in Rock Hill. Tolley is also the president and editor for The State and The Sun News.
News of the union came days after McClatchy finalized its sale to Chatham Asset Management, a New Jersey-based hedge fund. The sale was valued at $312 million and came nearly seven months after McClatchy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Through the transaction, the publicly-traded McClatchy has emerged as a private company.
The Packet/Gazette Guild journalists said they want a seat at the table when it comes to decisions about their workplace. Unionizing the newspapers “will ensure the highest quality journalism for decades to come,” according to the news release.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Packet/Gazette and its journalists agree to create union."
