A labor union dedicated to quality journalism through fair working conditions for the men and women who provide the news.

The Guild represents workers at The Associated Press, United Press International, and employees of the Spanish EFE News Service

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AP’s latest health insurance proposal includes lower premiums

Posted on Mar 30, 2014 Last Updated Mar 30, 2014 Posted by Martha Waggoner

The Associated Press has proposed health insurance that includes lower premiums and a participant-based, rather than an outcome-based wellness plan.

The wellness plan means that staffers would have to participate in the plan by doing certain things, such as getting a biometric screening. Staffers who didn't participate would pay $50 a month more for health insurance. The AP originally proposed an outcome-based program where staffers would have had to meet certain markers for things such as cholesterol or pay $50 a month extra.

Find the AP proposal here:

We will provide a detailed comparison later.

AP proposes dead-end positions to handle news work

Posted on Mar 27, 2014 Last Updated Mar 27, 2014 Posted by Martha Waggoner

The Associated Press on Thursday proposed a new dead-end editorial unit classification that would turn over newsperson work to a group of people with little experience who would work for no more than two years.

The new class of workers, called news associates, would do Class A news work in all formats for the state news report, including pickups, daybooks, editorial roundups and other work, along with filing photos and videos and captioning photos. The company said it needs a fixed-cost way to meet increasing demands with fewer EU staffers.

The AP said it would hire no more than 16 news associates at one time. They would work on the four regional desks.

Top-scale Class A employees now performing those chores and other news duties are now paid $1,250.99 a week.

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Bargaining with AP resumes amid protests of forced transfers

Posted on Mar 25, 2014 Last Updated Mar 26, 2014 Posted by Linda Johnson

Bargaining with The Associated Press resumes Wednesday in New York, with a second session scheduled for Thursday.

Indianapolis staffers reject proposed forced transfers.

Indianapolis staffers reject AP's proposal to let it force transfers onto workers or cut their job.

At the same time, staff around the country are focusing their protests this week on the company’s forced transfers proposal, a thinly veiled attempt to gut job security. It would allow AP to make employees move to any domestic bureau it chooses. Employees refusing would be out of a job.

Chicago staffers oppose forced transfer proposal.

Chicago staffers oppose AP's forced transfers proposal.

Staffers have been posting on their Twitter and Facebook accounts messages rejecting the proposal. Some have gathered for photos, giving a big thumbs-down amid piles of luggage.

Staffers in Columbia, S.C. -- Susanne Schafer, Meg Kinnard and Jeffrey Collins -- have their luggage packed since AP wants to forcibly transfer staffers.

Staffers in Columbia, S.C. -- Susanne Schafer, Meg Kinnard and Jeffrey Collins -- have their luggage packed since AP wants to forcibly transfer staffers.


The News Media Guild is pushing for an affordable increase in health care premiums and out-of-pocket costs, as well as keeping spouses on the plan and not penalizing staffers who can’t meet stringent health quotas. The union also wants increased job security and protection against outsourcing, workload limits, a good raise, better shift differentials and increased life insurance, among other unresolved issues.

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Guild questions AP about technician layoffs

Posted on Mar 26, 2014 Last Updated Mar 26, 2014 Posted by Martha Waggoner

The News Media Guild questioned The Associated Press on Wednesday about why the company laid off union-covered technicians while posting jobs for management-level jobs.

The company laid off 10 Guild-covered technicians more than two weeks ago. The company said that in addition, 18 technology unit managers have resigned since October and eight others were laid off.

AP, which posted six management jobs in the TU recently, said Thursday the company is "just trying to keep the lights on" by hiring for those positions.

Another reason for the layoffs was that the company learned outsourcing of TU jobs wasn't an option, the AP said.

In addition, the Guild turned over to the AP a letter signed by almost 600 staffers stating their support for the photographers, video journalists and others who get the weekly mileage allowance. The AP has proposed significantly reducing that reimbursement.

The AP and the Guild meet again Thursday to bargain.

NMG’s Johnson gets pot scoop, wins AP Beat of the Week

Posted on Mar 23, 2014 Last Updated Mar 23, 2014 Posted by Linda Johnson

Gene Johnson

Gene Johnson

Seattle newsman and NMG member Gene Johnson scored last week’s AP Beat of the Week prize for a scoop on his legalized marijuana beat.

His exclusive revealed that in WashingtonState, there’s a huge hole in the process for being licensed to work in the state’s nascent pot industry.

Johnson, working on a tip from a longtime federal source, found that applicants were being issued state licenses without national background checks for criminal records, because the FBI has refused to do the checks. That’s despite the U.S. Justice Department insisting states make sure that criminals aren’t involved in the trade.

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