Reuters journalists go on 24-hour strike over contract negotiations

by Julia Mueller - 08/04/22 8:13 PM ET

Over 300 Thomson Reuters journalists began a 24-hour strike Thursday, according to the workers’ union, citing low wage increases over the last two years.

“More than 300 @Reuters journalists across the United States are stopping work today for a 24-hour walkout. We do not take this decision lightly, but we’re prepared to avail ourselves of all our legal rights to secure the contract we deserve,” the Reuters NewsGuild union posted Thursday.

The union alleges that the news organization had offered zero wage increases since 2020, as journalists “worked the frontlines of the pandemic and in conflict zones,” and ponied up a mere 1 percent increase after protests.

“1% general wage increase during nearly double-digit inflation? Thomson Reuters is worth $50 BLN. The pandemic has been good for Thomson Reuters. … The billionaires behind Reuters can afford to do better,” a video accompanying the NewsGuild announcement reads.

A spokesperson for Reuters told The Hill in a statement Thursday that the company is “fully committed to constructive negotiations” with the union.

“These conversations are ongoing and we will continue to work with the Guild committee to settle on mutually agreeable terms,” the spokesperson added.

According to the union, Reuters journalists from seven bureaus are participating in the “No Contract, No News” walkout — Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago and Boston — and are represented by the NewsGuild of New York. Some reporters are picketing in Times Square, outside Reuters’s U.S. headquarters.

“We have extensive contingency plans in place that will minimize this brief disruption and are confident that we will deliver the highest quality of service to all our customers,” the Reuters spokesperson said of the strike.

The strike coincides with the release of Reuters’ quarterly earnings. The news organization reported “better-than-expected second quarter profits.”

San Francisco reporter Katie Paul shared the strike announcement, writing, “There’s simply no justification for an effective pay cut when the company is doing so well.”