• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, March 31, 2025

Nonprofit newsrooms, which are credited with saving many journalistic jobs, are still not immune from unions being formed, judging by recent developments. 

For instance, union employees of the nonprofit Wisconsin Watch have ratified their first contract. The agreement, which was signed last Friday, allows for:

- Minimum salary guarantees and annual cost-of-living increases 

- Expanded job security with “just cause” protections, layoff restrictions and eight weeks of severance pay along with extended benefits 

- Remote work guarantee with protected flexible schedules

- Meaningful medical leave, parental leave, caregiver leave and bereavement leave.

The agreement apparently was achieved without the rancor sometimes seen in contract negotiations in corporate newsrooms.

Staff journalists are represented by Wisconsin Watch Union and Milwaukee NewsGuild Local 34051.  

“We did this together,” said Phoebe Petrovic, investigative reporter at Wisconsin Watch and an initial union organizer. “We’ll continue to do great journalism knowing our workplace is more structured, secure and protected.”

In another action, Los Angeles Public Press was informed last week that the staff had formed a union. But unlike some publishers, LA Public Press agreed to recognize the union within one hour of the announcement. 

“We are forming the LA Public Press Union with the hope of strengthening our workplace culture and ensuring that all staff receive adequate and fair protection, support, and compensation,” workers wrote in their mission statement.

Unions have also been formed at such nonpofit entities as ProPublica, Spotlight PA, Texas Tribune, and The Marshall Project, the NewsGuild reports. 

Employees are entitled to form unions. Hopefully, the relatively smooth going will continue.