WASHINGTON — Staff at the Center for Public Integrity have unionized with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (CWA Local 32035). The unit will have 20 members, representing employees working in both the news and development departments.
Staff began discussing unionization in late August, with efforts picking up steam in September and October. After securing signed authorization cards from an overwhelming majority of eligible staff, WBNG presented Center management with a letter requesting voluntary recognition on Nov. 8. Management and the Guild entered into a voluntary recognition agreement the following Friday, Nov. 16. A neutral arbiter confirmed majority support for the union today, Nov. 27.
The Center — established in 1989 — is one of the nation’s oldest nonprofit, nonpartisan, investigative news organizations and the winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 2013.
Staff members believe unionizing will ensure the Center continues to produce award-winning investigative journalism by bringing more transparency to the organization and providing staff with a more equitable, fair and diverse workplace.
Other news organizations represented by WBNG include The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, ForeignPolicy.com, The American Prospect and Bloomberg-BNA.
Media contact: publicintegrityunion@gmail.com