One more step toward diversity

At Wednesday’s bargaining session, Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald management accepted One Herald Guild’s contract proposal promoting diversity in newsroom hiring. 

The company’s adoption of the guild’s language was a turnaround from May’s bargaining session, when managers rejected the proposal, saying they had “all kinds of concerns” about how to increase diversity in hiring without violating the law.

This time around, the company’s lead negotiator opened bargaining by stating that the company’s interests are “aligned” with the guild’s when it comes to increasing diversity in the workplace and ensuring the Herald newsrooms reflect the communities they cover.

By accepting OHG’s proposal, the company committed to recruit from a diverse pool of candidates to fill job openings and to notify groups that promote diversity in journalism of Herald job vacancies.

Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald managers acknowledged the importance of a multilingual staff, and they agreed to give internal candidates first consideration for job openings but also to make significant efforts to recruit broadly and to foster a diverse candidate pool. 
 
Management also agreed to send email notifications of job openings to the guild and to journalism organizations that foster diversity -- another turnaround from last month, when the company would not even agree to inform the guild or the groups of job openings.

One Herald manager defended the company’s commitment to diversity in hiring, noting that of the 17 newsroom hires made in 2019 and 2020, all but two have been Hispanic, African American, Haitian American or LGBTQ.

OHG Unit Council Co-Chair Joey Flechas thanked the company for its commitment.

“Our intention here is to make sure it keeps happening and that it continues,” he said.

Mary Ellen Klas, OHG Unit Council Co-Chair, said the guild recognizes the company has done good things and has confidence it will continue to do so.

“We just want it in writing,” she said.