The Arizona Republic and its newsroom staffers agreed Friday on a two-year contract that provides a framework for benefits, wages and working conditions for employees.

A tentative agreement, negotiated between The Republic and local members of Media Guild of the West, was reached in December.

The contract was approved unanimously in a vote by Guild members this week. It comes after more than four years of negotiations after reporters, photographers and other newsroom staffers at The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com and La Voz voted to unionize in October 2019.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the deal.

“Four years ago in Phoenix, we began negotiating a first contract fully aware of the complexities,” said Greg Burton, Republic executive editor. “Today, we emerge united around mutual priorities, a mission to serve readers and an obligation to hold the powerful to account.”

The contract maintains core management rights to lead the newsroom, direct employees’ work, and manage the number of employees and their assignments. It affirms that union employees will share the same benefits at the company as non-union employees.

The contract also sets out a minimum starting salary, increases pay for all union staffers, provides some layoff protections and continues paying matching funds on employee contributions in the 401(k) retirement plan.

Some 78 votes were cast in favor, none in opposition, with five eligible Guild members not voting.

Burton said the local journalism effort never stopped throughout the bargaining process.  

“Never once did we aspire for anything less than our best,” he said. “That’s reflective of the talent and dedication of every person in this newsroom.”

Finalizing the contract in Phoenix “affirms our commitment to local journalism and serving our neighbors in this community with the information they want, need and deserve,” said Kristin Roberts, Gannett Media chief content officer, in a statement. Gannett is the parent company of The Republic.

“We plan to continue finalizing contracts for our valued USA TODAY Network colleagues while actively posting and filling journalism jobs across the country,” Roberts said.

Roberts reaffirmed company officials remain “unwavering in our promise to deliver essential content and trusted journalism — it’s a goal we all share as we stabilize our business.” 

Richard Ruelas, an investigative reporter and chair of the Republic guild, called it a “beneficial” agreement that features a minimum starting salary of $50,000 and automatic increases after five and 10 years of employment. The company also agreed to continue paying matching funds on employee contributions in the 401(k) retirement plan and to more than double mileage-reimbursement rates.

“Additionally, every employee in the newsroom who doesn’t get a bump in the new salary structure will receive a $1 an hour raise in each of the two years of the contract,” he said. “That means the minimum pay increase a Republic newsroom (guild) employee will receive is $4,160 over the next two years.”

The contract also specifies a layoff process that calls on The Republic to seek volunteers before anyone is involuntarily dismissed, Ruelas said.

“It’s much better that employees leave of their own volition, with celebrations and fond farewells, than be involuntarily shown the door,” he said. “Both sides agreed with that.”

Lengthy organizing, bargaining process

The Republic’s Guild counts 93 members, 83 of whom signed cards agreeing to pay dues and entitling them to vote on the contract.

Non-management newsroom employees voted to join the Guild in October 2019. Bargaining for a contract began in December 2019, with the COVID-19 pandemic later moving the negotiations to Zoom meetings.

“It was a challenge to sustain momentum and energy with employees being hired and others leaving,” Ruelas said. “Most of the people who led the original effort to unionize have left for other job opportunities.”

Burton, in an earlier message to employees, praised The Republic’s diversity and talent, calling it a newsroom united by a commitment to ensure that the publication “thrives for another 133 years (as) a First Amendment bulwark on which we promote the common good, protect the public trust and serve all Arizonans.”

Reach the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.