Leadership, internal structures, and programming at news companies can change rapidly. Organizing is a way to ensure a seat at the table and guarantee terms of employment, including policies on severance, layoffs, discipline, and termination. Companies expand rapidly and workers deserve to participate in decisions made about the future of the companies they helped build. Union membership expands the role of staff in the decision-making process and the direction of a company. Union members in media participate in building the company through the creation of committees and increased communication and collaboration across regions and departments.
Additionally, organizing a union isn’t only about the future of one company. Industries with union density have fewer pay gaps and higher pay overall. Union members across the industry are working together to support each other and build a long-term movement to address and change systemic issues like diversifying the media industry and protecting critical journalism.