Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Over the past 15 years, more than 1,800 local newspapers have shut down. Many others have seen huge staff cuts. Entire communities have no coverage of local government, schools and business.
In Wisconsin, Gannett, which runs the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and 10 other newspapers in the state, has cut the size of the newspaper’s bargaining unit by 25% in recent years. Meanwhile, Gannett chief executive officer Mike Reed was paid $7.7 million last year, while the median Gannett journalist’s salary is less than $50,000 per year.
Journal Sentinel workers are fighting not only to save their own jobs, but to save local news. You can help. Please send a message to Gannett, telling it to support vibrant local news at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by ensuring adequate hiring, a career path for journalists who work for the newspaper, and diversity, equity and inclusion for staff.