Business & Tech
LA Times Newsroom Votes To Unionize
Staffers in the Los Angeles Times newsroom voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing, it was announced Friday.
LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles Times staffers voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing for the first time in the paper's long history, it was announced Friday.
According to the L.A. Times Guild, the vote was 248 in favor and 44 against.
"A landslide victory, and a historic day for the Los Angeles Times newsroom," the Guild tweeted.
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The voted comes amid a tumultuous time for the newspaper. After years of layoffs, sales, and changes of leadership, the LA Times' parent company announced Thursday that it is investigating LA Times Publisher Ross Levinsohn after old allegations of sexual harassment surfaced.
A simple majority vote for the union, means that nearly 400 journalists will be represented, according to The Times.
Find out what's happening in Hollywoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A group of more than 40 Times journalists launched efforts last year to have the NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America represent employees in collective bargaining. Organizers are calling for regular raises, improved benefits and job protections.
The management of The Times had urged employees to vote no, arguing a union would not benefit employees, The Times reported.
The final vote count for the @latguild: 248 in favor, 44 against. A landslide victory, and a historic day for the Los Angeles Times newsroom.
— L.A. Times Guild (@latguild) January 19, 2018
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City News Service contributed to this story. Photo: (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
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