Huge thank you to everyone in the community who supported us throughout this process, we couldn’t have done it without you! ✊

While the contract isn’t perfect, it’s a first step that guarantees us raises and job protections. Our bosses also agreed that no quotas will be tied to wages, a key piece of our contract fight.

BREAKING: We have a contract!!!!! Last night we ratified our first contract after more than two years of negotiations.

We had a productive bargaining session with management on Wednesday, but we’re still waiting to hear back on one dealbreaker issue. We hope our bosses will bargain in good faith and we can finally reach the finish line. Thanks to everyone who’s supported us so far!!

“I support our local journalists at The Herald and share my unwavering support for a successful outcome to contract negotiations, especially in this new day where just the act of being a journalist is an act of bravery.” - Paula Rhyne, Everett City Council

Officers and activists from SPEEA joined members of other #unions and pro-labor groups at a picket supporting
@everettnewsguild.bsky.social in its effort to win a fair contract from the Everett Herald

Thank you to everyone who supported us at our picket yesterday! Your support lets our bosses know that the community has our back, not theirs.

#Solidarity: SPEEA joins @everettnewsguild.bsky.social picket, calls on Everett Herald management to lift pay for journalists above poverty line.

www.thestand.org/2025/09/the-...

Fun fact: When I started at the Everett Herald in 2000, I made $20 an hour. Today -- 25 years later -- the Everett Herald is offering its newsroom workers a base salary of $20.50 an hour.

Get real, people.

I'm standing with @everettnewsguild.bsky.social and I urge you to do the same.

Happy Labor Day!! Help us celebrate by joining us this week at our informational picket Thursday, Sept. 4 at Colby and Hewitt. Bring signs, wear red, make noise, support local news!

FOR RELEASE: Everett Herald journalists to hold downtown Everett informational picket

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 4 at 6pm
WHERE: Intersection of Hewitt and Colby in Everett
WHY: To let our bosses know we deserve a fair contract!

Community members welcome!

Help us in our fight to save local journalism in the Pacific Northwest by signing our petition today: actionnetwork.org/petitions/su...

Carpenter Media, now the fourth-largest media company in the country, bought The Herald last year along with dozens of other small, local newspapers across the Pacific Northwest. Last year, Carpenter laid off more than half of The Herald’s news staff. (5/5)

It's an impossible ask with devastating consequences. Journalists won’t be able to give important stories the time they deserve for proper coverage. Tying wages to the quantity of stories will force them to choose between their livelihoods and quality journalism. (4/5)

In addition to refusing to pay its reporters livable wages, Carpenter wants to tie a meager $1/hour pay increase to brutal quotas, requiring 2-3 stories a day per reporter. If reporters don’t hit the quota, they don’t get the raise. (3/5)

After months of negotiating with our union for a first contract, the company is still offering a base wage of $20.50/hour, barely above Everett’s minimum wage and less than Seattle’s. It’s far below the cost of living in Snohomish County, which is $30.25/hour. (2/5)

UPDATE: The Everett NewsGuild is calling on Herald subscribers to support their contract fight as Carpenter Media Group continues to offer low wages and tie meager raises to story quotas. (1/5)