Journalists with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper continued their strike Tuesday, claiming they’ve been pushed to the brink and that parent company McClatchy has refused to bargain in good faith over a new contract.
Union workers with the Fort Worth NewsGuild announced the strike Monday. The union said McClatchy, owned by hedge fund Chatham Asset Management, then revoked workers’ health care benefits, said it would post their jobs online and encouraged other workers to cross the picket line.
The union is seeking a minimum wage of $57,500 for workers living in Fort Worth. The NewsGuild alleges McClatchy countered with $45,000.
“Low wages, hostile working conditions and a hemorrhaging industry have pushed journalists to the brink, including senior reporters with deep knowledge and connections in the community,” the union said in the strike announcement Monday.
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In a story published Monday, Star-Telegram President and Editor Steve Coffman said the paper would continue “covering the news that matters to Tarrant County and North Texas.”
“We look forward to reaching an agreement with our valued employees,” Coffman said.
Kaley Johnson, Fort Worth News Guild Vice President, said the effects of the strike are already being felt at the Star-Telegram and the city is not being extensively covered as it should be.
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Johnson is a social and criminal justice reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and until Monday has covered the death of Atatiana Jefferson and the upcoming trial of Aaron Dean. She said the strike is not ideal but necessary in order to address the wage inequities reporters are facing.
"None of us wanted to and none of us want to strike," Johnson said. "We all do this job because we love it. We want to serve the community we are in through our various beats and different positions."
Additionally, the Star-Telegram moved out of its historic newsroom office and now operates out of a shared workspace. Johnson said that placement is an example of McClatchy's inability to understand local news. Johnson said McClatchy's inability to meet the union fairly is frustrating.
"We want to be doing our jobs right now and McClatchy is the sole reason we are not," Johnson said.
21 workers are on strike at the time of publication and more than 90% of its members voted to approve a strike, which Johnson said is empowering at the same time.
The union is in contact with McClatchy and willing to negotiate at any time, Johnson said.
"They have stalled long enough," Johnson said. "We are ready to meet them now."
A GoFundMe has been set up to help fund workers' salaries and health coverage during the strike.
McClatchy could not immediately be reached for comment at this time.
The Star-Telegram strike comes as the newspaper industry continues to shrink after two decades of job losses and newspaper closures. Union journalists at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have been on strike for several weeks in the first newspaper strike in the United States in decades.
