• by Ray Schultz , March 24, 2025

Gannett has avoided a threatened walkout in New Jersey by reaching a two-year contract deal with reporters on the Bergen Record, Daily Record, and New Jersey Herald. 

The contract, which provides average salary increases of 25%, was ratified by 95% of the employees, according to the Record Guild union, which represents 68 editorial employees. 

“We know our worth as journalists, and we’re finally being paid for it,” says Kaitlyn Kanzler, unit chair of the Record Guild.

The new agreement provides for: 

• An end to “at will employment,” and creation of a process for dealing with visas and immigration issues, including time away from work to deal with immigration problems
• Controls over the use of artificial intelligence 
• An average $15,000 annual raise for the 30 lowest-paid union members  
• Ten weeks of paid parental leave
• A three-hour minimum pay/work when reporters are called back for more than fifteen minutes on a day off

“I stand with journalists and employees at the Bergen Record in their fight for a good contract,” says Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly), who is also the Democratic gubernatorial candidate. “The Record is a cornerstone of the North Jersey community, and their workers deserve wages that let them live and thrive in the communities they serve.”

Earlier this month, union members voted to walk out. 

Record Guild reporters have lost 45% of their original members since they voted to unionize almost four years ago.