Toastie
I'm proud to announce that today the staff of High Country News magazine have launched a union!
We are calling on HCN leadership for voluntary recognition. You can help support us by sharing on socials, following @hcnunion, and signing our letter of support here: https://hcnunion.org/support/
Toastie
In just 2 days, over 200 people have signed our union's letter of support --- WOW! 🤩 Plus all the lovely supportive social media comments --- our CWA organizer says this is the biggest outpouring of support she's ever seen for a campaign. I am feeling the love, y'all. 🥰
We're a small newsroom (mighty, but small) so we need all the support we can get! We have until tomorrow to pressure HCN leadership to voluntarily recognize our union. Please sign if you haven't! 💖 ✊
Toastie
UPDATE: Even though a majority of eligible employees expressed support for the union, High Country News leadership has decided not to voluntarily recognize us and instead has chosen to force an election. This is disappointing, and a waste of HCN's limited resources.
We are confident that we will prevail. If you haven't yet signed our letter of support, please do so.
https://hcnunion.org/support/
Toastie
HCN has always prioritized community-based journalism, and as members of that community, we — the High Country News Union — deserve and expect a voice in our workplace. We want to see our dedication reflected in the organization’s power structure. We look forward to a growing and sustainable High Country News, united by the support and strength that voluntary recognition, a strong first contract, and a thriving union will bring. ✊
Toastie
We are calling on High Country News to provide salary and hourly wages commensurate with the national industry; affordable health coverage for dependents; just cause employment; sustainable work loads; stronger family leave policies; and mental health support, as well as pathways for internal career development; and production expectations that reflect our budgets.
Toastie
We recognize and are proud of the work that HCN is doing to serve Indigenous communities and diversify its staff. We also believe the organization needs to improve its support for employees, especially for BIPOC employees, who experience high rates of turnover.
Toastie
However, much remains to be done to make HCN a more just, anti-racist, diverse and sustainable workplace, and staff deserves a stronger voice in its continued evolution. We believe a union is the best way to achieve that, and so it is with pride that we — local and dispersed members of the editorial, development, marketing and communications, art and customer service departments — have all united to organize with the Denver Newspaper Guild/CWA Local 37074 and form the High Country News Union.
Toastie
We join our colleagues at prestigious publications, including Grist and ProPublica in unionizing as part of an industry-wide reckoning with the toll that journalism takes on employees, the high workloads employees are expected to shoulder, and the distance the industry still needs to go to support and serve communities of color.
Toastie
Since 1970, High Country News has produced independent journalism for and by as well as about communities in the Western US, first as a newspaper covering public lands and now as a magazine with an expanded focus on Indigenous affairs, climate change and environmental and justice issues. In recent years, HCN has made noticeable strides toward better supporting its own employees, many of whom are longtime residents of the region.
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