Jonah Valdez: Why we need a union

Our journalism industry, like many others across the nation, was prompted to reckon with institutional racism amid protests for racial justice after the killing of George Floyd in May. In our newsroom, a small group of staffers of color are leading an effort to diversify SCNG in our coverage and among our staff, to make sure we are able to reflect the diversity of the communities we cover. Management is listening and much work is left to be done. And along the way, I have found our diversifying efforts at a crossroads with our desire to unionize. Through conversations with people of color across the company this past year, I’ve learned that many of us feel underpaid and undervalued. Some spoke of the dismay of being overlooked while their White male counterparts received promotion opportunities. Others shared that they make less money than their white counterparts of similar experience and expertise.

I want to continue calling these inequities into question. I look forward to conducting a pay study as a union to see whether pay differs on the lines of gender or race. I want to continue fighting to ensure that the voices of people of color in our newsroom and outside it, in our communities, are valued and centered. As a union, we can more effectively continue our collective fight for equity. 

Jonah Valdez is a reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.