• by Ray Schultz , February 27, 2024

The Desert Sun, of Palm Springs, California, has experienced its second strike in three months. 

Employees staged a one-day walk out against the Gannett title last week, according to The Desert Sun NewsGuild, the union representing them. 

A post on X says, "BREAKING: A supermajority of The Desert Sun NewsGuild has voted to authorize a ULP strike. The vote comes after Gannett’s refusal to offer consistent cost-of-living raises and health care protections that allow our members to sustainably live in the Coachella Valley.”   

This follows a walkout last November. 

The union claims it has roughly $18,000 in support from the Media Guild of the West. 

Union members decided “it was necessary after only limited progress was made toward a contract in the two years since The Desert Sun NewsGuild was formed,” the union states. 

It continues, “In particular, there has been virtually no progress toward some of the guild’s most significant goals, which include a $60,000 salary floor, securing fairer and more equitable scheduling practices and guaranteeing the ability for employees to freely pursue freelance writing work that does not interfere with the work they do at The Desert Sun.”