Daily News Union Takes Legal Action Against Newspaper Owner Alden Global Capital

Unionized employees at New York's Hometown Newspaper, the Daily News, have taken legal action against the paper's owner, Alden Global Capital (also known as "the destroyer of newspapers "), after the hedge fund's representatives circumvented the union to negotiate a health-care plan with an insurance fund for union members - and planned on pocketing the big savings they got on the deal.

The NewsGuild of New York, on behalf of the Daily News Union, filed an unfair labor practice charge earlier this month, accusing the hedge fund and the Daily News of bad faith bargaining, a violation of labor law. Under labor law, any changes to working conditions, including a new health care plan, must be bargained. Management notified the Daily News Union on Sept. 23 that there was a new healthcare plan with a deadline for open enrollment of Oct. 21. No bargaining took place.

According to records provided by management to the union, the Company's plan with UFW would save Alden and The Daily News 24.8% - and no savings would be passed on to union members. In fact, the monthly costs under this unlawfully negotiated plan will be slightly more than they pay now. The Daily News Union has been fighting for a fair first contract including living wages and affordable health care ever since it was certified as a union in 2021. Members testified at a bargaining session in August about the impact of stagnant wages and mounting health care costs.

"Alden obtained the quote for health insurance under false pretenses, and hid it from us while they refused to respond to the proposal for healthcare we gave to them in March," said Ellen Moynihan, Unit Chair of the Daily News Union. "Now they are trying to bulldoze us into a plan that will only save them money. That they did this is reprehensible enough, but that they did this after 18 of our members testified about their struggles with wages and the company's health insurance is absolutely disgraceful." Read more here, and click here to sign a petition in support of the union!