NewsGuild-CWA Members Hold 24-hour Walkouts

Last week, members of the Oxford University Press (NewsGuild-CWA Local 31222) walked off the job for 24 hours, protesting unfair labor practices. The workers formed their union in 2021 and have yet to reach a first contract with the company. Oxford University Press signaled it would have a serious proposal for consideration but, after a meeting with executives across the pond, was unable to strike a deal.

This comes after three years of negotiations and multiple unlawful labor practice charges filed against the company, including the illegal and retaliatory layoff of Unit Chair Scott Morales without previously bargaining with the Guild about that decision as required by U.S. labor law. The company has, in multiple instances, replaced union members who left with workers outside of Guild jurisdiction.

In a show of solidarity, dozens of NewsGuild-CWA workers joined the picket line virtually.

 
Members of NewsGuild-CWA Local 31222 at the Oxford University Press walked out for 24 hours in protest of unfair labor practices.

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Another NewsGuild-CWA unit adopted the same tactic against employer Carpenter Media Group. Workers at the Everett Herald (NewsGuild-CWA Local 37082) also went on a short strike to protest the proposed layoffs of half the newsroom, which is illegal while workers are bargaining for a new contract. 100% of the newsroom struck for two days this week.

Workers are also pushing back against the company’s secretive quota system, which executives used to rate journalists not on the quality of their work but on their story count and page views.

Oxford University Press and the Everett Herald are the 31st and 32nd NewsGuild-CWA units, respectively, to go on strike this year.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.