By Adam Pagnucco.
The Baltimore Sun Guild, which represents employees of the Baltimore Sun, has launched a byline strike from November 3 to November 10 – a period that includes election day. Under the strike, union members will withhold their bylines from articles published in the newspaper.
The union announces the byline strike on X.
The action is the latest sign of labor discontent since Sinclair Broadcasting Group Executive Chairman David D. Smith bought the newspaper in January. Here are a few irritants that have arisen in the labor management relationship.
January – In his first meeting with Sun employees, Smith says proudly “I haven’t read the newspaper in 40 years.” Smith goes on to brag about the reporting of Fox 45, Sinclair’s TV station in Baltimore.
June – The union alleges that the Sun has begun “publishing articles from Sinclair Broadcast Group and its television station in Baltimore, Fox45” that violate the newspaper’s own publication standards.
August – The union rallies against the use of outside content from “questionable” sources. The union also claims that management is engaging in “union busting” at the bargaining table with proposals to slash “seniority protections during a layoff and the requirement of just and sufficient cause for dismissal.”
The union posts pictures of its rally on X.
September – The Sun fires reporter Madeleine O’Neill, who was still in her probationary period and was not protected by collectively bargained discipline procedures. According to Baltimore Brew, “Sources said O’Neill was vocal on the newsroom’s internal Slack messaging channel about what she saw as declining journalistic standards since the newspaper was purchased by Sinclair Broadcast Group chairman David D. Smith.” The union reacts by filing an unfair labor practice charge against the paper with the National Labor Relations Board.
October – Sun employees stage a rally for a fair contract. The union alleges employees are “seeking their first pay increases in over a decade, with ownership taking a slash and burn approach to their contract language.”
October – According to the union, the Sun dissolves its features department and reassigns staff to news departments. The union states that this is “the first time since at least 1888 the newspaper won’t have even one reporter dedicated to covering the city’s cultural life.” The union also claims that “8 union reporters have resigned – or more than a quarter of the news reporting staff.”
The Sun’s former owner, hedge fund Alden Global Capital, was detested by many Sun employees, some of whom defected to the startup Baltimore Banner. One wonders if Smith is making Sun employees miss the good old days when Alden was in charge!