WHO WE ARE

We are the journalists of The Arizona Republic and we are forming a union.

We are uniting not only to protect ourselves but to preserve The Arizona Republic far into the future. A strong local newspaper is vital to our community.

For 129 years, our Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper has shined a light on injustice, celebrated the beauty of Arizona and connected people across our sprawling state. We’ve covered deadly wildfires and mass shootings, investigated fraud and held powerful people accountable. Our journalists have risked their lives in search of the truth — reporters Don Bolles and Charles Thornton were even murdered.

​

But a shifting media business has chipped away at our newsroom’s strength. The company’s sale to GateHouse Media likely means deeper cuts.

​

Annual layoffs, stagnant salaries, swelling healthcare costs and high turnover weaken local journalism.

​

Our newsroom needs a large, diverse staff to tell the stories of our community.

​

Our newsroom needs a seat at the table.

So we're joining together. We are reporters, producers, columnists, copy editors, social media experts, photographers and news assistants. We are long-serving veterans and rookies in our first jobs. We come from Arizona and around the country and call this state our home.

We want The Arizona Republic to stand strong for 129 more years. 

And as we unite, we have support from around the country. 

Many newspapers — including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post and Associated Press — have long been unionized. In recent years, more than 30 newsrooms have won union recognition with support from The NewsGuild-CWA, such as the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Guardian, the Florida Times-Union and the Hartford Courant.

At Gannett/USA TODAY NETWORK, nearly a dozen newspapers are unionized, including the Indianapolis Star, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and the Detroit Free Press.

​

USA TODAY NETWORK President Maribel Wadsworth recently told our newsroom “we work well with our unions.”

​

We ask Gannett to extend this spirit of cooperation and voluntarily recognize the Arizona Republic Guild so we can build a long and mutually beneficial relationship.

If Gannett chooses not to, the journalists of The Arizona Republic will remain united.

We will organize. We will vote. 

And we will win.

​

​

​

​

​