Los Angeles Times journalists approve new contract by 87% after three years

Unionized journalists at the Los Angeles Times voted 156 to 23 on Dec. 2 to ratify a three-year contract deal with Media Guild of the West (The NewsGuild-CWA 39213) — a hard-fought resolution to more than three years of contentious negotiations with Times management.

“It should not have taken this long to get here,” said Unit Chair Matt Hamilton, a reporter in the Times’ Metro section. “But despite management’s repeated attempts to stonewall talks and sow division, our members endured and came out stronger on the other side. This contract is proof of our tenacity.” 

Under the deal, which covers more than 200 Guild members, every newsroom worker will receive a raise of at least $3,000 in the first year, $2,750 in Year 2 and $2,500 in Year 3 of the agreement. Staffers at Times Community News will receive raises of $5,000 in Year 1 and $4,000 in Years 2 and 3. The contractual pay minimums will also be newly updated to reflect these increases. 

Throughout talks, the Times persistently sought to roll back protections codified in the Guild’s first contract, which was negotiated in 2019. Guild members beat back the company’s attempts to expand its ability to use non-union labor to perform newsroom job duties and weaken just cause protections in disciplinary investigations. Despite some critical gains, the union had hoped to maintain strong protections around seniority but managed only marginal success on that front.

Negotiations were also marked by tumult, including several rounds of layoffs, buyouts and other voluntary staff departures. In 2022, the Guild represented roughly 450 members; by mid-2025, membership had fallen to just over 200. 

In October, LAT Guild members voted 85% to authorize a strike, a first for the unionized reporters, photographers, digital editors, production staff and other newsroom workers. After the historic vote, the Guild and management met in a 20-hour bargaining session, eventually reaching a tentative agreement in mid-November. 

Other provisions of the new agreement include:

• The codification of Juneteenth as a company holiday;
• New gender identity protections upholding employees’ right to be referred to by their chosen names and pronouns;
• New language that affirms the Times’ obligation to take action when members experience online harassment;
• The extension of California’s legal protections regarding drug testing to all current and prospective employees, including those outside the state. Job postings will disclose whether drug testing is required;
• The creation of Guild-represented “per diem” employees that will work a limited number of hours each week, aimed at reducing the company’s use of non-union temporary workers and freelancers. 

About the Media Guild of the West:

Media Guild of the West is a local union of The NewsGuild-CWA, representing roughly 700 journalists and news workers at the L.A. Times, Arizona Republic, The Dallas Morning News and other outlets across Southern California, Arizona and Texas.