IndyStar Journalists March For New Contract To Fix Unequal Pay

By: Staff Reports, Indiana Capital Chronicle

Indianapolis Star journalists on Thursday marched out of the newsroom over lunch to demand a fair contract, on the two-year anniversary of its collective bargaining agreement expiring.

“Gannett’s strategy of cutting from its local newsrooms hurts our journalists and community. Indianapolis needs a strong and steady newspaper – not one suffering from constant turnover and thin staffing,” a news release said. “That’s what we’re fighting for.”

The Indianapolis Newspaper Guild said representatives for newspaper owner Gannett/USA TODAY have at times shown up unprepared to bargain and have belittled proposals related to diversity and workplace safety.

“This contract foolishness has gone on so long that it’s forcing us to ramp up our visibility. There will be more to come,” said Robert Scheer, a photojournalist who has been at the Indianapolis Star for 24 years. “It’s funny that when a stock price goes up, employees generally don’t benefit but when it goes down we’re always the ones who suffer – not top leadership.”

Amy Garrard, Gannett’s labor relations counsel, said “Gannett has and will continue to negotiate in good faith. We respect our valued colleagues in Indianapolis and hope to reach a fair contract soon.”

About 30 members marched to Monument Circle Thursday requesting a contract that:

• Rectifies pay inequity in the ranks.
• Brings outdated pay scales into the present day.
• Demands accountability for hiring people from diverse backgrounds.
• Keeps local news in the hands of local journalists.
• Provides cost-of-living adjustments.
• Seeks volunteers when planning layoffs.

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