Guild Members,

An important LOCAL 39521 Election is being conducted by secret mail ballot for the role of President on our Local.

NOTICE: All members in good standing within units of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521, will soon receive an official notice and ballot in the mail to vote for our next President.

VOTING PERIOD: The official voting period is December 2 through December 17, 2025. Ballots must be marked and mailed so they will arrive at the Local Office at 433 Natoma Street, Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94103, no later than 12:00 pacific on December 17, 2025. The Local Elections Committee will count the ballots at 5 pm that day, and will certify the results following the count.

BALLOT INSTRUCTIONS: Once received, mark your ballot clearly to indicate your preference. After marking your ballot, place it within the small envelope provided. Seal that envelope and place it within the larger post-paid return envelope. CLEARLY PRINT AND SIGN your name to the back of the larger envelope. Unsigned envelopes will be invalid. The postage-paid return envelopes are numbered for verification of eligibility only. This procedure protects the secrecy of your vote while allowing the Local Elections Committee to ensure only eligible members participate.

Place the signed envelope containing your vote in the mail. Postage will be provided.

Each candidate provided a statement below.

Questions? Contact the Guild Office at (415) 421-6833 or elections@mediaworkers.org.

In Solidarity,
Local Election Committee
Gloria La Riva, Local Election Chair / Guild Freelancer
Richard Knee, Guild Freelancer
Gabe Fernandez, SFGate

Click here to see the Pacific Media Workers Guild Local Elections Rules.

Click here to see a copy of a Sample Election Ballot.

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Annie Sciacca, Candidate for Local President

Current Local President and Member of the Freelance Unit

Many of you know me from my time in this union in a variety of roles.

I became a member of the Pacific Media Workers Guild nearly a decade ago, when I was a reporter at the East Bay Times. I learned then that protecting the integrity and impact of journalism ultimately rests with the rank-and-file workers who are the backbone of this industry.

Since that time, I’ve been grateful to work alongside not only extraordinary journalists, but incredible nonprofit, publishing, media, design and union staff workers who comprise our union – people who show every day what collective action and solidarity can achieve.

During the past several years as secretary and then president of the Local, I’ve had the privilege of working directly with some of our newer shops as they formed their unions and launched the early stages of bargaining their first contracts.

Now, I am running for a second term as president of the Local, on my record as a newspaper staff reporter, freelance journalist and proud Guild officer who is deeply familiar with the challenges facing our members. From my decade as a newsroom staffer and the last few years of experience as an active freelancer and independent journalist, I am knowledgeable of – and firmly committed to – the needs of our staff and our freelance units.

During my tenure on the Executive Committee, our Local has grown by 334 workers, helping 12 campaigns go public and win certification. Our members have used their power in the workplace to improve working conditions. We have expanded organizing across media and adjacent industries, built new coalitions with journalists, press advocates and workers nationwide, and strengthened our financial position as a union with transparency and care.

Together, our members have deepened the Guild’s role as a defender of journalism and journalists. Our Local has advocated for press freedom, government transparency, and First Amendment protections; forged partnerships to shield journalists from harassment and violence; pushed for safety in all our workplaces; and engaged with allies to analyze and weigh in on legislation impacting journalism jobs, media workers, and the future of our industries.

Just as importantly, we have stood in solidarity with workers across many industries, recognizing that democracy in the workplace is essential to a thriving community. I have helped guide units through tough bargaining and conducted our Local’s meetings with transparency and efficiency. I’ve also been proud to mentor emerging reporters, photographers, and union leaders through our Bay News Rising internship program and publication.

Our achievements as a Local – a collection of incredible units and members – have been immense. I’m humbled to have worked with you to achieve them. But our work continues, so I respectfully ask for your vote for the role of President.

In solidarity,
Annie Sciacca

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Steve Zeltzer, Candidate for Local President

Member of the Freelance Unit

Time To Prepare For Fascism & A General Strike

Solidarity Has No Borders!

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I have been a member of our local for more than 6 years and was the past chair of our Human Rights committee. I produce labor media on the show WorkWeek on KPOO in San Francisco and on the Pacifica Network Capitalism Race and Democracy.

I also produce video documentaries about working people including covering this local, the Newsguild and CWA.

I am running for president because I believe we face an existential crisis as journalists and as workers, not only in our local, but in the NG, and in the CWA. This existential crisis affects not only journalists, but it impacts the entire working class as well and has to be responded to by independent political activity, that is we must build a labor party which will help us prepare for a general strike. AI is already being used to eliminate our jobs and there is a growing threat from our fascist government against journalists, immigrants and all working people with the militarization of cities and brutal attacks on immigrants and workers throughout the country. The Trump government is also moving to attack non-profits who are members who work for online news and information journals.

When president Trump called journalists “scum” there was a clear connection between the language of the fascists in Germany and the language of Trump and the techno fascists in the US.

I support the call of AFA-CWA president Sara Nelson for a general strike. We need to educate our members and the public about why this action is necessary to defend unions, working people and the public. The open racist, xenophobic, attacks as well as the attacks on LBGTU people in this country is a threat to all of us.

At our last convention, the CWA called for our members and locals to embed DEI into our contracts so it cannot be removed by the management of companies we work for. Not only was this not reported to the members of the local by the present leadership but the past president actually dissolved the Human Rights committee which I will re-establish if I am elected.

DEI & The Fight Against Systemic Racism At CWA 2025 Convention

At the last meeting I proposed that it be re-established and link up with other unionists to build a united effort so our efforts will not be isolated.

As journalists, we must publicly stand up with our brothers and sisters in Palestine. Over 250 Palestinian journalists and their families have been murdered with the support of the US. Our local leadership, without a vote, shut down a motion to introduce a resolution to support Palestinian journalists and against the genocide with one of our leaders calling it too “controversial”. The idea that opposing genocide because it is controversial is not only absurd, but it is an idea that should not govern our union or any union. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!

One of the key issues for our members is our healthcare system. The shutdown of medicaid and the elimination of subsidies will throw over 17 million people off healthcare. More of our wages are going to insurance companies and this is escalating. In response to this calamity, I made a motion in our local that we support the national single payer campaign and fight for this in the NG, CWA and the entire labor movement. It was passed by our local and after a debate at the NG convention the resolution passed, but it was not presented to the CWA convention nor has our local leadership informed the members that this resolution from our local body passed the NG.

There will also be a national day of action for single payer on January 31, 2025 which I am urging our local, the NG and CWA to support.

NewsGuild At 2025 Convention Endorses National Single Payer Campaign

I support our local, the CWA and AFL-CIO development of a labor channel that can include education and reports by our members and all workers.

SF Chronicle News Guild PMWG Workers Demand Justice & Living Wages

Striking Washington Post SF Bureau WBNG Journalists Speak Out At Solidarity Strike Rally

We also face a political crisis. The Democrats & Republicans are controlled by billionaires. Governor Newsom who has been supported by the CWA has opposed single payer healthcare and refuses to make the billionaires pay for this crisis to provide free public education and healthcare. The Democrats have a super majority in the legislature and could take action to force them to pay for the massive cutbacks. Our local, with the rest of the labor movement, need to take action to use the wealth of California for the people.

We need to work towards a mass democratic labor party that will have a program for working people and not be controlled by the billionaires. The Democrats will not stop fascism and there is a threat of martial law with the imposition of the insurrection act. We need a working class political alternative that is based on our unions and a discussion in labor about how to build a united front against fascism, the attack on immigrants, unionists and all working people along with fighting for the protection of journalists.

Despite all the dangers that we face as workers we have tremendous possibilities because we have tremendous power that with the unity of all our members and working people in the country we can shut down the system by organizing a general strike. We have the power.

Please go to my web site for more information about why I am running and how to rebuild the labor movement and defend our local and jobs.

An Injury To One Is An Injury To All

Steve Zeltzer
zeltzerforpresident.com
labormedia1@gmail.com
Producer of WorkWeek on KPOO &
Capitalism, Race & Democracy On Pacifica