Labor organizing in nonprofit journalism turned a corner this week, with two wins for workers: The ProPublica Guild, a union of workers at the largest nonprofit news outlet in the country, won voluntary recognition from management. And workers with CalMatters, a nonprofit covering California politics and policy, went public with their intention to seek union recognition after a wildly successful card drive.

These announcements come on the heels of major union actions at other nonprofit outlets in recent years, including the recognition of a first-ever collective bargaining agreement at the Center for Public Integrity, ratification of union contracts at Grist and Chalkbeat, and voluntary recognition of unions at Reveal-CIR, Cityside, and The American Independent, among others.

It might be easy to assume the delay in these top nonprofit outlets’ unionization was due to a lack of interest from staff. Nothing could be further from the truth. In case after case, unionizing outlets were supported by the vast majority of their bargaining unit workers — 90%, in the case of ProPublica and 92% at CalMatters. 

While the number of unionized American newsrooms has grown significantly in the past decade, nonprofit outlets have been slow to join the trend, despite their widely-held “savior” status within journalism. That contradiction is apparent not just within nonprofit news organizations but throughout the nonprofit space — bosses in so-called “mission-based” organizations have often pushed back against workers’ demands for better wages, citing tight budgets and optimistic visions of workplace culture.

“[S]ervices once provided by a workplace segment enjoying the highest unionization rates in the country — more than 50 percent of public sector employees are unionized — are in many cases now provided by a sector with one of the lowest rates of unionization — less than 6 percent of nonprofit employees are unionized,” journalist Corey Hill wrote in the East Bay Express in 2013. “[N]onprofit management sometimes takes advantage of employees’ desire to do good, and guilt-trips them into working long hours for low pay.”

The delay in unionization might better be attributed to bosses’ (false) attestation that unions are only required in cases of egregious mismanagement. Indeed, Richard Tofel, the former president and founding general manager of ProPublica, argued as much earlier this year, writing on Substack that unions are “essential vehicles for getting a fair share of the aggregate profits for the employee group as a whole” at “for-profit companies that actually make substantial profits.” 

But “[w]hen management genuinely cares for the workforce, unions are less necessary,” he argued. “The more you both attend to your colleagues, and appear to do so, the less union pressure you are likely to face,” he concluded.

Those of us who’ve worked in newsrooms, unionized or not, know that workers’ collective action is beneficial in good times and bad. Union activism can, for example, provide workers across departments the opportunity to eschew their cubicles or Zoom screens and come together, strengthening camaraderie and their own sense of worth. We also know the economic outlook for the industry has been trending downwards for some time — all the more reason unions are essential, if for no other reason than to help negotiate amid layoffs or speak out in situations they see unjustly affecting workers.

With the ProPublica Guild’s recognition and CalMatters heading in that direction, seven of the Institute for Nonprofit News’ 10 largest member newsrooms are now unionized. Here’s hoping the other three will join them soon. 

—Jacob Gardenswartz

It's not too late to get our first print magazine, The Reckoning in Food Media! Flip through reported and first-person criticism of food media coverage, along with looks to how food media can improve.

San Francisco Chronicle Guild secures new contract: The contract is finalized after over two years of negotiations that saw newsroom leadership push back against Zoom observation during in-person bargaining sessions and relocate union signage in the office to less visible locations. It sets union members’ minimum salary at $73,000 and guarantees a minimum 2% raise each year. (SF Chronicle Guild Twitter)

OpenAI funds new NYU Ethics and Journalism Initiative: The organization — which developed the controversial, critiqued ChatGPT — is investing $395,000 in the initiative, which is set to be headed by former Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen Adler. Its future research projects will “explore the frontiers of journalism ethics, including the relationship between journalism and technology.” (NYU)

After Meta blocks Canadian news, publishers call for investigation: With over 70% of Canada’s social media market dominated by Instagram and Facebook, publishers say, Meta has significant control over Canadians’ news access. Meta similarly promised it would do the same in California had a similar bill, the California Journalism Preservation Act, passed. (Business Wire)

Support Maui journalists, local recovery after fires: Along with The Maui News’ reporters, its workers in advertising, circulation, and press are aiming to ensure everyone on the island has access to information in the wake of devastating fires. Pacific Media Guild members set up a GoFundMe to help cover PPE, babysitting, shelter, and food costs — since it’s already met its goal, additional funds will go directly to local recovery efforts. (GoFundMe)

Remembering a journalist writing about “us,” not “them”: Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Diana Marcum passed away Wednesday. This obituary by James Rainey captures the strokes of the California Central Valley journalist’s life, career, and heart, from her high school years keeping her brother out of the foster care system to the journalistic work that included stories about growing joy, ice-cream-loving nuns and humanizing drought in the Central Valley. (LA Times)

4 days until … the deadline to apply for the Movement Broadcast Intensive. This 12-week virtual series, presented by Press On, Migrant Roots Media, and Interrupting Criminalization, is meant for anyone interested in creating video, audio, and live broadcasts to support movements for liberation.

($) 12 days until … the ONA23 Conference in Philadelphia. This year, ONA will be held both in person and virtually, with the virtual component taking place later in September. Registration prices vary by organizational affiliation.

14 days until … “An Introduction to Pro-Democracy and Solutions-Focused Political Coverage”, a training webinar hosted by the Solutions Journalism Network. This kicks off a series of four webinars designed to help journalists think beyond horse-race coverage and center community needs in political coverage ahead of the 2024 election. (The Objective is among the partner organizations for this webinar series.) 

Looking for a job? Here are a few places to look: INN | ONA | JournalismJobs.com | 10 Jobs and a Dog | NABJ | AAJA | NAHJ | NLGJA | @WritersofColor | MEO Jobs | Freelance Journalist Rates | Source Jobs | Opportunities of the Week ($) | West Coast Media Jobs

How about a style guide? Trans Journalist Association | Diversity Style Guide | Tribal Nations Media Guide | NABJ Style Guide | Disability Language Style Guide | AAJA Guide to Covering Asian Pacific America | NAHJ Cultural Competence Handbook |  SPJ Race & Gender Hotline | AMEJA Media Resource Guide | The Press in Prison | The Conscious Style Guide 

Thanks for reading our newsletter! We appreciate you being here, and we’ll have more for you soon.

This issue is by Jacob Gardenswartz and James Salanga, with edits by Jen Ramos Eisen and Curtis Yee.