The editorial staff at suburban publication the Daily Herald has announced a unionization effort shortly after a wave of layoffs earlier this month, according to the Daily Herald News Guild.
It comes after 12 of the paper’s staffers were laid off earlier this month, including executive editor Lisa Miner, the paper’s copy desk and page designers, according to the guild. It’s the ninth time the staff has seen cuts since October 2017, with eight rounds of buyouts and three rounds of layoffs, including those in November 2024.
That cuts come as wages had been reduced by at least 15% and the work week cut to less than 37 hours over the last decade, the union said.
The guild has filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, which means a formal vote to unionize has not yet been taken, but 19 of 20 eligible union members have signed cards in support of the union.
In a statement, the guild said it was created to “address high turnover, advocate for pay equity and strengthen the publication’s community-focused coverage.”
“For decades our newsroom has been decimated,” said Kevin Schmit, the Daily Herald’s associate sports editor and a 29-year employee. “And for too long crucial decisions have been made with no input from us, the editorial staff responsible for producing an award-winning newspaper. We take this step now to gain a seat at the table and because we remain committed to maintaining our status as the trusted voice of the Chicago suburbs.”
Tribune Publishing didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Daily Herald was acquired by Tribune Publishing in June after the company ran a full page ad in the Chicago Tribune offering a higher price than Shaw Media, which owns other suburban papers and had been in talks to make a purchase previously.
The paper has covered suburban Chicago since 1872, and was independently owned and run by the Paddock family for four generations. In 2018, the Paddock family members sold their portions of the company to its employees and set up an employee stock ownership plan.
But for the last several months, even prior to the acquisition, the guild had been in the process of unionizing, Schmit said.
“We’re motivated more than ever because of the layoffs,” Schmit told the Sun-Times. “[But] our union is a little smaller than it was two weeks ago.”
The Daily Herald News Guild is slated to join Chicago News Guild Local 34071 TNG-CWA, which represents more than 600 media, nonprofit and publishing workers throughout the Chicago area and nationally, including at the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Workers at the Daily Herald are ready to have a voice in their workplace and their futures,” said Chicago News Guild Local 34071 TNG-CWA President Owen Schmidt in a statement. “We’re looking forward to supporting these future members as they advocate for job security and to protect local news.”