Tomorrow we make history

Tomorrow is a historic day for the Miami Herald, el Nuevo Herald and Miami.com newsroom. It’s time to cast your vote. This is our closing argument.

For 116 years, our newsroom has never had a union. As the flagship newspaper of the Knight-Ridder chain, the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald commanded a presence across the globe, especially in Latin America. When McClatchy bought it in 2006, the Herald held a place as the most prestigious paper in the chain's orbit, with 22 Pulitzer Prizes.

For most of its history, the newsroom was well staffed with plenty of copy editors, community reporters, photographers, growth editors, page designers and producers, journalists dedicated to providing Miami with what it needs — strong, dependable regional journalism that holds the powerful accountable and tells the stories of our unique community.

Then came the online boom, the recession and an endless cycle of cuts. McClatchy cut staff, slashed salaries and newsroom resources with little explanation and reorganized coverage to prioritize clicks over community news.

The Miami Herald, el Nuevo Herald and Miami.com staff had no way to speak up for ourselves and for the Miami community. Amid the cuts, we had no voice to demand fair severance, fair treatment, fair cost of living raises, and fair coverage. And we had no way to demand transparency or company information about McClatchy’s decisions. We didn’t have a union, and our newsroom suffered because of it.

That ends tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s vote will determine whether we have the right to a voice in the future of our newsroom — the same right that our colleagues have at newsrooms across the country from the ones owned by billionaires, like the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post, to the ones owned by large companies like the Chicago Tribune and the Florida Times-Union — and to have a base set of working conditions that treat all staff fairly.

We have learned much about ourselves through this journey. We learned that collectively we can lift each other up and the force of our unified voice can lead to positive change.

In its effort to oppose our union, McClatchy told us there is no point in forming a union because union newsrooms and non-union newsrooms get the same benefits.

If that were true, why is McClatchy fighting our union so hard? Because they want to continue to have the power to cut our newsroom’s resources without any input from its journalists.

No more.

No more paying el Nuevo Herald staff less than Miami Herald staff for the same work. No more cutting salaries, severance and newsroom resources without any notice. No more losing talented staff because we don’t have a parental leave policy. No more making decisions about our newsroom without our input.

With a union, we will start receiving benefits even before we have a contract. For example, we have the right to negotiate all decisions that affect our working conditions, including layoffs. As part of the bargaining process, McClatchy is obligated to be transparent with its financial and organizational information. That means that if the company claims it does not have enough money for what we are asking for, it has to prove it – and our accountants will check it out. The contract will establish a standard, defining base severance, pay, leave, time off and more. Individuals will have the flexibility to negotiate upward. Finally, union dues make much of this work possible, but in Florida, they are optional, not mandatory. If you choose to contribute as a member, you would pay 1.3% of your annual salary in dues only after we vote in favor of a contract. You will be the judge of the gains the newsroom makes together.

For years, our local managers say they have been fighting McClatchy to get more resources for our newsroom. Tomorrow, we vote to join them in that fight.

Thank you all for your time and your input during this important month. It has been incredible to see staff get to know each other and discuss the bright future of our newsroom together.

To those colleagues still on the fence – we hope that you have heard our arguments and that you will join us by voting yes to strengthen our newsroom together.

To some of our colleagues who disagree with this effort – we have your back and we hope that we will earn your trust and support as we move forward together.

And to McClatchy – see you at the bargaining table.