The Austin NewsGuild, the collective bargaining unit representing Austin American-Statesman journalists, and the newspaper’s parent company, Gannett, reached a labor agreement after three and a half years of negotiation and two strikes.
“I’m proud of my colleagues for sticking with this. It has been very emotional [and] very frustrating,” Nicole Villalpando, chair of the Austin NewsGuild and health reporter, said.
The contract sets a new minimum salary of $50,000 for new hires, $55,000 after five years of employment, and $60,000 after 10 years.
Villalpando said everyone in the union will get a raise under the new contract. For some employees, this will be their first raise since 2017.
“There are some people who will end up getting $18,000, $20,000 over the course of this contract because they’re finally gonna get lifted out of the $40,000s,” Villalpando said.
The contract also includes monthly $50 cell phone reimbursements, meal reimbursements during some reporting work and paid time off for all union members.
“No contract is going to be perfect, but in terms of a first contract, I think it’s pretty much what we want,” said Cat Vasquez, a Statesman journalist of 19 years. “You’re talking about a newspaper that has such a rich and long tradition… to have been able to utilize the newsroom, I think that’s a really special thing for this community”
Austin American-Statesman journalists have been bargaining with Gannett since they unionized in 2021 as the Austin NewsGuild under the Communications Workers of America. Villalpando said the issues began much earlier.
The Statesman was bought by GateHouse Media in 2018. Gannett, which owns the USA Today network, then acquired GateHouse in 2019.
Villalpando said that’s when the newspaper began losing ground economically. The paper lost 60% of its staff between 2018 and 2023, according to the NewsGuild.
In a written statement, Kristin Roberts, Gannett’s media chief content officer, said the company is pleased to have an agreement in place.
“The Austin American-Statesman has a rich history of providing trusted news and information that our readers have told us they want. We are committed to delivering on this promise and remain your go-to source,” Roberts said.
The new contract gives the newsroom the stability it needs, Villalpando said. The NewsGuild will return to the bargaining table in two years to make any amendments.
“The Statesman is in a pretty good spot right now, and not having this as a distraction is going to be amazing,” Villalpando said.
