In a historic election, Texas’ only unionized newsroom chooses its inaugural council

Leah Waters has been elected chairperson in the first-ever election held for officers of the Dallas News Guild, which represents the newsrooms of Al Día Dallas and The Dallas Morning News.

Waters, a multiplatform editor, received 61 percent of the vote, beating out business writer Dom DiFurio, the only other candidate running for the top job.

“I’m just one person,” Waters said. “If we place too much emphasis on one person, we miss the point of what a union is. It’s about all of us together, and that’s what’s so cool about being a part of this group. 

“I’ve gotten to talk with so many people and learned about what they care about and what they’re afraid of.  And I want to do something about that with the people who are on the council, with our bargaining committee and our shop stewards,” she said.

“It’s an opportunity to help mobilize people to get them involved. Because the more people that stand up together, the more we can win in a contract,” she added.

Leah Waters

DiFurio, a lead organizer from the earliest days of the effort to unionize The News, congratulated Waters.

“This is an incredibly important day for the Dallas News Guild,” DiFurio said Saturday, immediately after he was told of the results of the election that was held the week before Halloween.

“Leah Waters is going to organize and lead this unit with integrity and compassion for her colleagues as she has through the entire organizing process. I can’t wait to join the bargaining committee and start on a contract that respects our workers and values the journalism they produce.” 

Austin bureau staff writer James Barragán and staff writer Cassandra Jaramillo were elected to vice-president and secretary in uncontested races. 

Photo editor Mike Hamtil and staff writer Dianne Solis were elected co-treasurers. 

With five vacancies and six candidates— the following were elected to at-large seats on the council: computational journalist Madi Alexander, breaking news staff writer Dana Branham, multi-platform editor Frank Christlieb, photojournalist Smiley Pool and Dallas Cowboys staff writer Calvin Watkins. 

Seventy-nine people cast a vote. 

A highlight of the election was a joint campaign video commercial in which the two candidates for chair actually endorsed each other.

Waters states in the political ad, “I think Dom would be fantastic to serve in that position.”

DiFurio adds, “Well, I was about to say they should vote for you, Leah, because you were instrumental in organizing the newsroom in the last year to give us a seat at the table.”

Leah explained the strategy of running against each other: “It’s really important that you have a choice and a voice.”

The new Unit Council’s first meeting is Sunday, November 1st, only one day after the election. The council will create a separate bargaining committee, which expects to meet with Belo executives in early December for an initial three-hour session.

The first election was organized by the guild’s elections committee, consisting of Alyssa Fernandez, Allie Morris, Dave Tarrant and Dave Lieber.

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