Dozens of employees of The Columbian announced their intent to form a union last week.
On Sept. 30, newsroom workers for the daily newspaper made the announcement.
According to the announcement, those who seek representation include reporters, photographers, editors and designers, among others, who seek “equitable wages, greater diversity in the workplace, reasonable leave and health benefits, earned severance, and a fair and consistent grievance policy.”
“Our journalists are overworked and underpaid,” the announcement read, explaining that newsroom staff had to choose between working in the industry and having the financial stability for “buying homes, starting families and putting down roots” in the community.
“As a consolidating media landscape hobbles local newspapers, talented journalists are fleeing the industry in search of more stable work,” the announcement read. At the time of the announcement, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported about 30 people would be represented by the union.
Columbian staff would be represented by the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild, which already represents workers at The Seattle Times, Kitsap Sun, Skagit Valley Herald and Yakima Herald-Republic, according to the announcement.
As of press deadline, The Columbian publisher and owner Scott Campbell had not publicly acknowledged the staff union.
