MIAMI, Sept. 30 – By a margin of 62 percent to 38 percent, professional journalists at the EFE News Service voted for representation by the News Media Guild in an election conducted Thursday by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board. The employer promised in advance of the vote to respect the wishes of the majority and to begin bargaining for an initial contract. EFE has U.S. offices in Miami, New York, and Washington, D.C.
EFE, based in Madrid, is the world’s largest Spanish-language news agency, transmitting text, audio, video, photos, and multimedia content to the Spanish-speaking world. The agency also operates an English language service. The election covered an expanding number of U.S. employees who, unlike their colleagues, were not protected by a union contract negotiated in Spain. EFE employs about 40 of these full-time journalists and administrative employees in its U.S. offices.
“We are ecstatic that EFE workers have joined their Guild colleagues, and they should congratulate themselves for taking a courageous step in support of workplace democracy,” said Tony Winton, NMG president. “Now that the vote is over, we look forward to a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect with EFE as we bargain a fair contract,” said Benito Garcia, a member of the Guild’s organizing committee and an editor in Miami.
The vote, conducted in three cities on Thursday, was counted on Friday. The tally was 23 in favor of NMG representation and 14 opposed.
The Guild obtained critical support from unionized journalists in Spain (Comisiones Obreras) and the International Federation of Journalists, who both interceded with Madrid EFE executives to press for a fair and free vote.
“This is an important step for the News Media Guild,” Winton said. “The demographics are clear: the future of U.S. journalism is one that is practiced in both English and Spanish. Our central goal of quality journalism is one that resonates in all languages,” he added. The EFE organizing drive represents the first Florida-based unit for The Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America, NMG’s parent union.
The vote by U.S workers follows a similar victory by Puerto Rican EFE employees in December. Workers on the island have already started bargaining for an initial contract.
The News Media Guild, established in 1958, also represents about 1,700 reporters, photographers, broadcast staff, and technicians at the Associated Press and United Press International in all 50 states.