Labor board agrees – Dallas Morning News violated rules by failing to bargain when switching employee health plans.
The Dallas News Guild has won an initial victory in its meritorious complaint to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against The Dallas Morning News for sidestepping the union when making substantial changes to our health care plan.
The company did not provide the Guild any notice or attempt to bargain with us before implementing the changes in 2021. And an NLRB field examiner who examined our allegation agreed!
The Dallas News Guild is still negotiating its first contract. Bargaining formally began in December 2020, after the successful vote to unionize. Two years later, the Guild still does not have a contract. Because we are still in status quo, the company has to negotiate with the union any changes it wants to make to working conditions.
This did not happen.
“When we voted to unionize, we democratized our workplace and made sure our workers had a say in decision-making. That means the company must come to us when they want to change things that affect our workers,” said Leah Waters, Dallas News Guild unit chair. “But the company didn’t come to us when they changed the health care plan. All we’re asking is they follow the law.”
Federal law protects employees’ rights to organize and bargain collectively. A party that violates those rights commits an unfair labor practice.
The Dallas News Guild filed its unfair labor practice complaint on Oct. 27, 2021 with the NLRB’s Region 16 office, based in Fort Worth. The official charge relates to a refusal to bargain or bad faith bargaining.
The NLRB agent will work to negotiate a settlement. If DallasNews Corp decides to fight the charge, the regional office will file an official complaint against the company. A settlement is still possible, however, even if this happens.
Potential remedies include: both parties could agree to revert to the old health plan, or the company could reimburse employees for any expenses incurred under the new plan.
Unfortunately, there is no word yet of a settlement offer.
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The Dallas Morning News is part of the oldest continuously operated business in Texas and the state’s leading newspaper. Proudly, we are the first major newspaper newsroom in the state to unionize in the modern era.
The Dallas News Guild covers the DMN and Al Dia, which includes more than 130 journalists across all departments of the newsroom, including reporters, columnists, data journalists, copy editors, librarians, web producers, audio producers, page designers, photographers and videographers. Eligible newsroom workers voted in October 2021 by a margin of over 75% to form a union.
Keep up with our bargaining efforts on Instagram and Twitter — @DallasNewsGuild — and at the NEWS tab at DallasNewsGuild.org.
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