San Antonio Report management declines to recognize employee union
Published: Sat, 01/20/24
San Antonio Report management declines to recognize employee union
The San Antonio Report union said it will file the appropriate paperwork to hold elections.
San Antonio Report Editor-In-Chief Leigh Munsil (right) speaks with Mayor Ron Nirenberg prior to city elections last year.
Screen Capture / YouTube: The San Antonio Report
San Antonio Current
By Michael Karlis
Fri, January 19, 2024 at 12:24 pm
The San Antonio Report's management declined to voluntarily recognize its employees' newly formed union, according to a statement tweeted Thursday by workers at the nonprofit news site.
However, in a statement sent to the Current, the San Antonio Report's publisher disputes that claim, saying the organization's board simply hasn't been able to provide a decision on the request.
In its tweet, the San Antonio Report Union said it will begin filing paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board to hold an election. The group, which said it has 100% support from union-eligible staff, had given management until Thursday to voluntarily recognize its organizing activity.
"Workers remain committed to providing quality journalism while ensuring our voices are heard and our rights protected," the union also said in its tweet.
In her emailed statement, San Antonio Report CEO and Publisher Angie Mock said management informed the union Thursday that its governing board was unable to meet the deadline for recognizing the organizing activity.
"That communication does not mean that management 'declined to voluntarily recognize' the union — in fact, we signaled a likelihood and desire to work with the union as quickly as possible," she said. "When there is more to say on the next steps, we will inform [the union] no later than the required two week deadline."
In a separate statement emailed to the Current earlier this week, Mock said the nonprofit is transparent with its staff and strives to run a quality workplace. Even so, Mock acknowledged the San Antonio Report is "experiencing a post-pandemic down cycle with fundraising."
In a statement released Tuesday, San Antonio Report workers said they want to improve pay equity, grievance procedures and job security at the 12-year-old news organization. They also said they want the outlet to enforce clear boundaries with donors to protect journalistic integrity.
The workers went public with their organizing efforts as other nonprofit newsrooms have culled staff. Last year, the Texas Tribune laid off 10% of its workers amid a funding crunch, and earlier this month, the startup Houston Landing fired its editor and top investigative reporter.
District 2 City Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez was quick to criticize management's failure to recognize the San Antonio Report Union.
"This is an opportunity to start a relationship on the right foot and skip the contentious phase," McKee-Rodriguez tweeted. "I hope y'all do the right thing and support your employees' right to organize."
Former SA2020 CEO Molly Cox was also critical of the San Antonio Report's stance. However, she added that she wasn't surprised.
"Never shocked when management of an organization where staff has decided to unionize then proceeds to do the type of thing that likely led to unionization in the first place," Cox tweeted. "And also… wouldn't it be just so great for San Antonio Report management to show they're ready to do the right thing?"