From the Executive Board of the News Guild of Maine:
Today, the newsroom of the Bangor Daily News announced its intention to unionize as part of The News Guild of Maine, Local 31128 of The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America. The News Guild of Maine wholeheartedly supports this campaign and urges management at Bangor Publishing Co. to immediately and voluntarily recognize their union.
Our state requires journalists to hold powerful people accountable and tell the stories of our communities. When our press thrives, so does our democracy. But if newspapers like the Bangor Daily News cannot attract or retain journalists because of untenable working conditions, all of Maine suffers.
For decades, the News Guild of Maine has represented employees at the Portland Press Herald and the Morning Sentinel. The Guild has historically supported our members in a tumultuous industry by giving workers a seat at the table through collective bargaining, and by making measurable improvements to both pay and working conditions.
The employees at the Bangor Daily News have shared their concerns about pay disparities, destabilizing turnover and low morale. Just like workers in Portland and Waterville before them, they deserve the opportunity to make their newsroom a better place to work.
These reporters, digital editors, page designers, photographers and editorial page writers are organizing because they care about their workplace, their readers and their democracy. We are proud to support their efforts, and we ask their management to meet the BDN Union at the bargaining table as soon as possible.