Wisconsin Watch Union

After more than a year of bargaining, Wisconsin Watch Union members — based in both Milwaukee and Madison — have a contract with several key wins: Increased wages: Minimum salary guarantees and annual cost-of-living increases. Expanded job security: “Just cause” protections, layoff restrictions and eight weeks of severance pay with extended benefits. Workplace protections: Remote work guarantee with protected flexible schedules. Leave assurances: Meaningful medical leave, parental leave, caregiver leave and bereavement leave, among others.

I want to highlight something. Under this contract, Wisconsin Watch employees will never be forced to "return to office" as the rest of the world forgets the ongoing pandemic. This is a key protection for disabled, immunocompromised + caregiving employees' health and safety, + for all's autonomy.

WE @wiswatchunion.bsky.social + @newsguild.org HAVE A UNION CONTRACT! This is, by far, hands down, one of the hardest and best things I have ever done in my entire career. I am verklempt.

Journalists at Wisconsin Watch ratify first contract Contact: wisconsinwatchunion@gmail.com MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin Watch journalists, represented by Wisconsin Watch Union and Milwaukee NewsGuild Local 34051, have secured their first union contract, which includes meaningful gains in wages, job security and workplace protections. Wisconsin Watch Union members last week voted unanimously to approve the contract. After more than a year of bargaining, Wisconsin Watch Union members — based in both Milwaukee and Madison — have a contract with several key wins: ● Increased wages: Minimum salary guarantees and annual cost-of-living increases. ● Expanded job security: “Just cause” protections, layoff restrictions and eight weeks of severance pay with extended benefits. ● Workplace protections: Remote work guarantee with protected flexible schedules. ● Leave assurances: Meaningful medical leave, parental leave, caregiver leave and bereavement leave, among others. Wisconsin Watch’s newsroom is part of a growing number of journalists at nonprofit newsrooms across the country choosing to unionize to win rights like these, such as ProPublica, Spotlight PA, Texas Tribune, The Marshall Project and more. "We did this together," said Phoebe Petrovic, investigative reporter at Wisconsin Watch and an initial Wisconsin Watch Union organizer. "We'll continue to do great journalism knowing our workplace is more structured, secure and protected." "This union has already provided me with tangible and obvious benefits, but one thing I didn't anticipate is how much closer I would feel to my coworkers," said Devin Blake, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service criminal justice reporter and a bargaining committee member. "I have such a clearer sense of what matters to their lives and work."

“I am proud of the contract Wisconsin Watch Union has won,” said Wisconsin Watch statehouse reporter Jack Kelly, who served on the union’s bargaining committee. “This deal will allow reporters in our newsrooms to continue to focus on serving their communities knowing they have greater security and stability.” The three-year agreement was signed Friday, March 28, 2025. ### ABOUT WISCONSIN WATCH UNION: Wisconsin Watch Union is a bargaining unit of the Milwaukee NewsGuild Local 34051 of The NewsGuild-CWA, which represents more than 27,000 journalists, media workers, interpreters, non-profit workers and staff at other labor unions. The Guild is the largest union of journalists in North America, operating in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The Guild is a sector of the Communications Workers of America, which represents employees in telecommunications, the airline industry, broadcast and cable television, health care, public service and education, law enforcement, manufacturing and other fields.

NEWS: After 15 months, WE HAVE A CONTRACT!

Wisconsin Watch Union members last week voted unanimously to approve our first contract. It includes meaningful gains in wages, job security and workplace protections.

Full details:

We are officially UNIONIZED! #WeMakeWisconsinWatch with Wisconsin Watch logo

It's official! We're absolutely thrilled to share that Wisconsin Watch's board of directors and CEO have recognized our union We appreciate the wonderful support we've received since going public and are excited about the future of Wisconsin Watch! ✊🦡

"I'm organizing because I want to help build a sustainable future for Wisconsin Watch -- a future that delivers greater transparency as an organization internally while continuing to provide the thorough, thought-provoking journalism our state needs" - Jack Kelly, statehouse reporter

Statehouse Reporter @byjackkelly.bsky.social is unionizing to help build a sustainable future for the organization, a future that delivers greater transparency.

"I am unionizing because I love Wisconsin Watch and I want to make it the best it can be. I wake up every day inspired by Wisconsin Watch's mission and grateful for the opportunity to do impactful accountability and public service journalism. I'm joining with my colleagues in unionizing because we're excited to help make the organization reach its fullest potential." Quote from Phoebe Petrovic, investigative reporter. In the bottom left corner, a circular portrait shows Phoebe looking at the camera. In the bottom right corner is the Wisconsin Watch Union logo with a badger looking through a telescope.

Member @phoebepetrovic.bsky.social is an investigative reporter covering disinformation at Wisconsin Watch who just won a national award for her reporting on discrimination within state school choice programs. They're organizing to help Wisconsin Watch reach its fullest potential.

We are currently working through some details before he takes it to the board of directors next week. We hope to have an update to share soon. We wish to thank everyone for the support so far as we work toward our goal of being voluntarily recognized. ✊🔎 2/2

UPDATE: On Thursday we met with Wisconsin Watch CEO George Stanley and presented our written proposal on behalf of our members and CWA-The NewsGuild. 1/

"Unionization would help build up an inclusive and diverse workplace. For people with marginalized backgrounds like myself, we're going to have our voices heard and have a place at the table in a white-dominated newsroom." Quote from Zhen Wang, Fund for investigative journalism logo. In the bottom left corner, a circular portrait shows Zhen smiling. In the bottom right corner is the Wisconsin Watch Union logo with a badger looking through a telescope.

Want to know more about the journalists organizing Wisconsin Watch? First up, Zhen Wang, who won a national award for her incredible investigation into prison labor behind an iconic Milwaukee brand. She's organizing to help build an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO press release: Wisconsin AFL-CIO Stands in Solidarity As Wisconsin Watch Workers Launch Union Drive Stephanie Bloomingdale, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, released the following statement of solidarity as rank-and-file staff of Wisconsin Watch, the non-profit newsroom, announce the formation of the Wisconsin Watch Union with the NewsGuild-CWA. "We proudly stand in solidarity with the workers of Wisconsin Watch as they seek union rights and representation with the NewsGuild-CWA," said Stephanie Bloomingdale, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. "Wisconsin Workers are speaking up and taking action to build better workplaces with dignity and respect on the job. Working people are standing together to organize unions in their workplaces in order to build a fair and just economy that works for all. We look forward to supporting Wisconsin Watch workers through the process of organizing a union and securing a first union contract."

Huge thanks to Wisconsin AFL-CIO for standing in solidarity with our union effort.

Thanks to WORT for interviewing member @byjackkelly.bsky.social about our Wisconsin Watch Union effort! www.wortfm.org/union-member...

I’m organizing with Wisconsin Watch Union!

My colleagues and I are unionizing with @wiswatchunion.bsky.social because we love our workplace and are excited to do even better journalism together.

We’re thrilled that Wisconsin Watch CEO George Stanley and the board plan to discuss voluntarily recognizing our union. We look forward to having the conversation.

By uniting, the employees of Wisconsin Watch seek to work with management to build a more stable and secure environment so local journalism can thrive. We seek to bring democracy to our workplace and improve the transparency, security, culture and diversity of our organization.

Our union’s membership is strong — 80% of rank-and-file Wisconsin Watch employees, both from business and editorial sides, have so far signed union authorization cards.

This morning, we sent our mission statement to management and asked for voluntary recognition of our union. Read our full mission statement below:

We love @WisconsinWatch and want to help make it the best it can be. Unionizing allows us to live into our values of fostering an improved citizenry and strengthening democracy. #WeMakeWisconsinWatch