June 14, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HONOLULU — Workers, community members and reporters are reacting with shock to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s announcement Thursday it is laying off half of the newsroom. This devastation at the state’s largest newspaper will permanently damage the critical news coverage Hawaii depends on. “This decision was disappointing, frustrating and unnecessary,” […]
Read MoreFormer governors oppose Honolulu Star-Advertiser layoffs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 15, 2020 Three former governors of the state of Hawaii have joined forces to urge the Honolulu Star-Advertiser not to go through with sweeping layoffs it has announced that would cripple the newspaper and ultimately hurt the community that depends upon it. Former Governors John Waihee, Ben Cayetano and Neil Abercrombie sent […]
Read MoreGuild joins other press-freedom advocates backing SLAPP victim appealing court’s defamation finding
In a matter with press-freedom implications, the Guild and several other organizations are joining the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in seeking authorization to file an amicus brief supporting a woman appealing a Sacramento County Superior Court finding that a complaint of sexual harassment against a California assemblyman was defamatory. Pamela Lopez is […]
Read MorePro-Sunshine Victory
In an opinion that stands to help budget-constrained journalists and news outlets stay competitive, the California Supreme Court has declared that public agencies must bear the cost of redacting electronic records that members of the public request. The Pacific Media Workers Guild (the Guild) and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Northern California chapter can claim […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 Member Resources: California
To our colleagues: The COVID-19 outbreak is an unprecedented public health crisis. We are here to help. As union members you have many important protections against what we call “unilateral changes” to the terms and conditions of your work under our contract. When negotiating our contracts, we go to great lengths to define and control […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 Member Resources: Hawaii
Menu (click to scroll) Unemployment Insurance Temporary Disability Insurance Workers Compensation Additional Resources UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE Use When: You’ve lost your job or had hours reduced. General Eligibility You must be either totally unemployed, or working less than your normal hours and earning less than your weekly benefit amount. You may be disqualified for eligibility for […]
Read MoreGuild Action and Resources re: COVID-19
Without a doubt, we are living through an unprecedented challenge with this global pandemic. I hope this letter finds you and yours safe and healthy. We know you have a lot of concerns and questions about how and where to do your jobs, about how to get paid and in general, about how to navigate […]
Read MoreFAC Launches In-Depth FOI Training Sessions for Journalists
The First Amendment Coalition is proud to announce the launch of a series of Freedom of Information Boot Camps for journalists interested in using the California Public Record Act and other laws to shed light on government agencies across the state. Led by FAC attorneys, these sessions will provide journalists tools to improve their reporting, whether daily […]
Read MoreSPJ NorCal calls for Sacramento PD to affirm journalists’ rights
The Society of Professional Journalists released this statement on Wednesday: In March, Sacramento police detained three journalists while they were reporting on a citizens’ protest over the fatal shooting by officers of Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old black man. The detention served no public purpose and could have been avoided if Sacramento PD had a […]
Read MoreGuild members honored for journalistic excellence
The Guild congratulates several of our sisters and brothers who are to receive awards in November for journalistic excellence. Julia Cheever and Daniel Montes of Bay City News Service, and Charles Desmarais and Lauren Hernandez of the San Francisco Chronicle will be honored at the San Francisco Press Club’s Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards Dinner […]
Read More2019 Membership Referendum Results
Dear PMWG Local 39521 Members,Thank you to all who voted in the 2019 Guild Membership Referendum.Both provisions of the referendum passed, with the following results: Local Membership voted to make the Local’s lead officer an appointed role, rather than elected. Now the Executive Officer will be appointed by the Local Executive Committee. Additionally, our Interpreters […]
Read More