UMG opens bargaining with the Post-Dispatch
August 24, 2021
The United Media Guild and Post-Dispatch management opened bargaining for a new contract Tuesday. The Guild and the company spelled out the issues to be discussed beginning with the next bargaining session on Sept. 13. They are: Pay raises 401K...
Lee Enterprises saved $10 million with layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts this quarter
June 18, 2020
Lee Enterprises, parent company of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Southern Illinoisan, saved $10 million during the current quarter through layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts. The company also cut capital expenditures by more than 25 percent. Due to the...
Post-Dispatch unit members approve furlough agreement
April 10, 2020
United Media Guild members at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch approved an agreement with Lee Enterprises on the terms of two furlough weeks over the next three months. The UMG had two conference calls Thursday to explain the situation and held...
Lee Enterprises offers no-layoff protection during furlough period
April 7, 2020
The United Media Guild reached a tentative agreement with Lee Enterprises on the parameters of the looming furlough at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This will be subject to membership approval -- and we'll have more about that process soon. The...
Lee Enterprises, Gannett request furloughs with newspaper revenues plunging amid pandemic
March 31, 2020
Lee Enterprises and Gannett are asking our members to agree to furloughs during the next three months with those companies suffering big financial losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lee is asking our members to accept two weeks of unpaid...
Lee Enterprises gets stronger with purchase of Warren Buffett’s chain, but Alden vultures lurk
January 30, 2020
From the United Media Guild’s perspective, a newspaper's best outcome is to find a buyer committed to supporting strong local journalism for the public good. But these days a newspaper is more likely to get caught up the consolation of...
UMG bargains financial gains for members at multiple units
August 22, 2019
The past year has been productive for the United Media Guild at the bargaining table. We gained first contracts at the Southern Illinoisan and for the "Fight for 15" fast food organizers employed nationally by SEIU. Since last summer we...
UMG members ratify first contract at The Southern Illinoisan
April 25, 2019
United Media Guild members in The Southern Illinoisan newsroom unanimously approved its first collective bargaining agreement at the Carbondale-based newspaper owned by Lee Enterprises. That bargaining unit achieved its top bargaining goal of gaining a layoff procedure substantially guided by...