Unionize

The United Media Guild is committed to helping workers gain union representation. We primarily represent reporters, photographers, editors and designers for print and digital media companies. We also represent employees in non-profit social justice organizations and other labor unions.

Along with our sector leadership at The NewsGuild and our international leadership at the Communication Workers of America, we stand ready to help you organize your workplace.

One significant benefit of organizing is the potential access to the United Furniture Workers medical fund. We have helped workers in several non-profit organizations gain access to medical coverage at a better price through this union-run fund.

If you are interesting in gaining union representation, feel free to contact us Business Representative Shannon Duffy at sduffy@unitedmediaguild.org.

Who can organize?

  • Federal law gives employees of private business and organizations the right to form unions.
  • If you work for a governmental agency, different labor laws apply when you organize.
  • Supervisors, managers and independent contractors are not covered by the law.

Section 8(a):

“It shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer . . . to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in Section 7 . . . ”

Your legal rights

You have the legal right under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act to join or support a union and to:

  • Attend meetings to discuss joining a union.
  • Read, distribute, and discuss union literature (as long as you do this in non-work areas, such as break rooms or parking lots, during non-work times, such as during breaks or lunch hours.)
  • Wear union buttons, T-shirts, stickers, hats, or other items on the job.
  • Sign a petition or card asking your employer to recognize and bargain with the union.
  • Sign petitions or file grievances related to wages, hours, working conditions, and other job issues.
  • Ask other employees to support the union, to sign union petitions or cards, or to file grievances.