The Arizona Republic and its newsroom staffers agreed Friday on a two-year contract that provides a framework for benefits, wages and working conditions for employees.
A tentative agreement, negotiated between The Republic and local members of Media Guild of the West, was reached in December.
The contract was approved unanimously in a vote by Guild members this week. It comes after more than four years of negotiations after reporters, photographers and other newsroom staffers at The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com and La Voz voted to unionize in October 2019.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the deal.
“Four years ago in Phoenix, we began negotiating a first contract fully aware of the complexities,” said Greg Burton, Republic executive editor. “Today, we emerge united around mutual priorities, a mission to serve readers and an obligation to hold the powerful to account.”
The contract maintains core management rights to lead the newsroom, direct employees’ work, and manage the number of employees and their assignments. It affirms that union employees will share the same benefits at the company as non-union employees.