FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Vin Cherwoo, vcherwoo@newsmediaguild.org, 212-869-9290
GUILD STAFF AT THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLLECTIVELY TAKE 10-MINUTE BREAK TO PROTEST INSULTING CONTRACT PROPOSALS
NEW YORK, N.Y. _ Hundreds of writers, editors, technicians, photographers, video and radio journalists, content curators, graphic designers and data journalists represented by the News Media Guild at the Associated Press in the U.S. collectively took a 10-minute break Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the same time across the country to protest the AP’s insulting contract proposals.
Staff stepped away from their work at 4 p.m. ET after sending the following message to managers in numerous AP Slack channels: “I’m taking a short break as part of a collective action with the AP News Guild as we fight for a fair contract.”
Wages are among the biggest issues and in August, the AP proposed increases of 2% annually over the course of the three-year contract after inflation has totaled 17.3% over a three-year period from Aug. 2020 through Aug. 2023. The Guild countered two days later with a proposal of 10% increases in the first year and 5% in each of the second and third years. The AP has not revised its offer since.
“Everybody has experienced skyrocketing increases to all their living expenses,” said News Media Guild President Vin Cherwoo, an AP sports writer. “Offering 2% increases is just extremely insulting and tone-deaf to the hardships everyone is facing.”
The AP and the Guild have spent 18 months negotiating a new contract. The hardworking staffers at the AP demand that the company does better.
They deserve a fair contract.