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Aug. 04, 2021 02:51PM EST
Politico staffers mount unionization effort
Members of Politico's newsroom are actively mounting an effort to unionize with the NewsGuild, sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: Politico's newsroom is one of the largest newsrooms to have resisted organizing efforts in the past. A successful unionization drive would be a major win for newsroom labor groups.
In response to this story, Politico spokesperson Brad Dayspring said Politico publisher Robert Allbritton "understands that the decision to form a union is the choice of the newsroom employees who would be impacted by it, and POLITICO would respect the process and the majority decision of those employees."
Behind the scenes: Union organizers have been conducting informationalsessions with various editorial teams about the effort.
- Organizers are currently trying to gather signatures for a statement to present to management in the coming weeks asking for recognition of the union.
- The union drive covers employees of Politico and E&E News, an energy and environment trade publication that Politico acquired last year, according to a Politico staffer. Politico added about 65 reporters and editors via that deal. There are about 375 editorial staffers at both Politico and E&E total.
- A source says the integration of E&E News has been a factor in the push to unionize. Politico's management recognizes that the acquisition — occurring during a period of remote work — presents cultural challenges, according to one source, but that the company is heavily invested in growing that business.
- A source says Politico has continued to fill open positions at the publication since it was acquired and that some staffers from E&E have received merit pay increases.
- Sources say conversations have recently become very active. While there seems to be an appetite for the effort internally among several editorial employees, at least two Politico sources Axios has spoken to say they aren't in favor of the effort, citing good relationships with management.
Driving the news: Sources say several factors have pushed employees to seek union support when bartering with management, including the company's handling of internal pushback against having Daily Wire editor Ben Shapiro guest host Politico's flagship newsletter product, Playbook, earlier this year.
- Two staffers Axios has spoken to that do not support a unionization effort say they are skeptical of any union efforts being motivated by editorial skirmishes with leadership.
- One staffer says that they support the way management handled that situation, and that management has continued to show strong leadership within the newsroom despite the recent departure of Politico's editor, Carrie Budoff Brown.
- Sources say that internally, Budoff Brown was a highly regarded figure who editorial staffers trusted would look out for their best interests in disputes with management.
- Another possible factor could be the desire to be more engaged in benefits discussions, as Politico is currently reviewing its leave policies as it adapts to a new hybrid work environment. The company recently said it will offer 24 weeks of paid leave for all family expansions, doubling its former policy.
Be smart: Politico's management has been offering performance raises to various teams, according to two Politico staffers. One notes that some people feel that the raises could possibly be an effort to dissuade employees from unionizing.
- A source disputes the notion that a review of benefits and performance raises are in response to any union pressure, as both are ongoing processes that have occurred over the course of several years.
- "Robert deeply believes in journalists and journalism, and has always thought of POLITICO as a family," Dayspring says.
- "Unlike many owners in the media space, he has open lines of communications with reporters and employees at POLITICO. He sends emails to the newsroom from his personal account, and often engages with reporters this way—particularly in the remote work environment," Dayspring adds.
The big picture: The COVID-19 crisis has triggered a massive uptick in news media unionization efforts, amid record consolidation and tumult.
- So many digital newsrooms have pushed to unionize lately that the Writers Guild has had to put a pause on organizing digital newsrooms.
Go deeper: Record number of journalists unionize during COVID
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Apr. 22, 2021 04:09PM EST
Senate Republicans unveil $568 billion infrastructure counterproposal
Senate Republicans formally rolled out the framework for their $568 billion counterproposal to President Biden's $2.5 trillion infrastructure plan on Thursday.
Why it matters: The package is far narrower than anything congressional Democrats or the White House would agree to, but it serves as a marker for what Republicans want out of a potential bipartisan deal.
Between the lines: Biden insists he wants his "American Jobs Plan" to pass with bipartisan votes and go through regular order in the Senate, meaning it would need at least 10 GOP senators to sign on.
- The administration has invited a number of Republican lawmakers to the White House over the past several weeks in a sign of sincerity of Biden's pledge.
- But even without Republican support, Biden and the Democratic-controlled Senate could opt to pass the bill via the budget reconciliation process, which would only require a simple majority vote. Having this tool at their disposal has made many Republicans wary of whether Biden will stay committed to his pledge of reaching across the aisle.
- So a group of Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), the ranking Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, crafted a scaled-down infrastructure plan that they argue could pass with bipartisan support.
- Other Senate co-sponsors include Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
Details: The Republicans' package focuses on the elements in the first part of Biden's Build Back Better agenda — building up America's roads, bridges, airports and ports, or what the GOP calls "traditional" infrastructure.
- It also includes provisions on expanded broadband, particularly in rural areas, and building up water infrastructure.
- The GOP framework calls for the government to fully cover the cost of the bill "to avoid increasing the debt."
- Republican senators argue the bill should repurpose some of the $350 billion sent out to state and local governments in the "American Rescue Plan," as well as encourage private sector investment to help pay for the package.
What's absent: The parts of Biden's bill that Republicans largely consider a "progressive wishlist" — including provisions meant to tackle climate change and promote racial equality.
- The senators call for preserving the 21% corporate tax rate, which Biden has proposed raising to 28% to help pay for the bill, and demand the cap on the state and local tax deduction (SALT) remains unchanged.
- The bill insists on preserving former President Trump's "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act." Biden's plan would raise taxes on those making more than $400,000 a year.
By the numbers:
- $299B for roads and bridges
- $61B for public transit
- $65B for broadband infrastructure
- $44B for airports
- $35B for drinking water and wastewater
- $20B for rail systems
- $13B for safety
- $17B ports and inland waters
- $14B for water storage
Go deeper: Read the GOP framework.
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Dec. 10, 2024 10:12AM EST
Dec. 08, 2024 10:04PM EST


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