Local US newspaper workers allege Hearst is trying to ‘destroy unions’
Summary
Workers at local newspapers owned by Hearst say the company is trying to weaken their unions by not negotiating fairly and breaking contract rules. Several worker groups in different states have filed complaints, while Hearst says it offers good wages and benefits and follows fair practices, including rules around using artificial intelligence.Key Facts
- The Albany Newspaper Guild represents workers at the Times Union in New York and has gone over 17 years without a new contract.
- Workers complain about no pay raises and concerns that Hearst might replace jobs with AI technology.
- Hearst owns 30 daily and 50 weekly newspapers and made $13.5 billion in revenue in 2025.
- Five unions in Connecticut, Texas, New York, and California filed formal complaints against Hearst for unfair labor actions.
- Hearst says it negotiates in good faith and provides competitive pay and benefits, even during contract talks.
- When Hearst bought the Austin American-Statesman, it replaced the previous contract, removing pay raises and some benefits workers had.
- Hearst gave Austin employees a signing bonus and increased the minimum salary after the purchase.
- The Dallas News Guild filed a complaint after Hearst laid off 26 employees following its acquisition, though the union contract is still active but soon to expire.
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