New City, NY – Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D-Rockland/Westchester) has released the following statement:
“I stand with the journalists of The Journal News, Poughkeepsie Journal, and Times Herald-Record in their formation of the Hudson Valley News Guild, and I call on the management of these three papers and the Gannett parent company to voluntarily recognize this new labor union.
Well-reported journalism is one of the bedrocks of a free society. By keeping citizens informed and keeping government and businesses honest, reporters provide a vital public service. It’s no coincidence that the declining number of local newspapers around the country has coincided with an era of cynicism, civic apathy, and distrust of institutions among many Americans. I deeply appreciate the work of the reporters, photographers, and producers at The Journal News, Poughkeepsie Journal, and Times Herald-Record who provide the Hudson Valley with critically-important coverage of local news stories and events. Our region would suffer greatly without the work of these journalists, and they deserve to be fairly compensated for their work.
Increasing centralization and the pursuit of corporate profits in the news sector over the last 30 years has led to the consolidation and closure of newsrooms around the country and the decline of real, local news being covered by seasoned professional journalists. Forming a union will help journalists fight for the protections that will allow them to restore integrity to local newsrooms. I stand in solidarity with their efforts.”