On Wednesday, April 29th, the journalists at the Idaho Statesman spoke with a unanimous voice, voting 18-0 to to form a union. The election caps a two-month process to formalize the newsroom’s union. Workers went public with unanimous support on March 2nd. McClatchy, the Statesman’s parent company, refused to voluntarily recognize the union, creating the drawn-out process that saw two delays because of the coronavirus pandemic. The vote was conducted via a mail ballot at the Denver NLRB regional office
“The Idaho Statesman is a vital institution. We’ve been serving our readers since before Idaho became a state, and we will continue to serve them as our state grows. To protect the Idaho Statesman and its mission, we must protect the journalists who shape it every day. We must ensure that the reporters who cover our community can afford to make it their home. A union is necessary to sustain strong, vibrant local journalism in Idaho for years to come.
“We are fighting to preserve local news in Idaho,” union member Kate Talerico said. “We look forward to working with management toward a fair contract that ensures a strong future for the Statesman’s essential journalism.”
Congratulations and welcome to the union!
