Support Guild effort to promote diversity at The Columbian

The following is from the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council:

VANCOUVER (July 6, 2020) — In recent weeks, leadership at The Columbian newspaper in Clack County have claimed a commitment to diversity and equity. Now, it’s time for action.

Columbian newsroom workers — who have organized as The Columbian Guild/Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild — are advocating for a fair contract that will promote a diverse group of applicants and a staff that reflects the community it covers. The “Rooney Rule” proposed by the union, named after an NFL rule for hiring coaches, would require that two or more final candidates for any newsroom position be from traditionally under-represented groups by race, gender identity, sexual orientation and/or disability at the newspaper or in the media industry.

Columbian leadership, however, rejected the union’s position at a recent bargaining session, erroneously claiming the proposal was illegal.

TAKE A STAND! — Join the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council and supporters of the newspaper’s employees in telling The Columbian that words are not enough!  Send a letter to The Columbian supporting its employees and their contract proposal. Click here for more information to inform your letters. Columbian publisher Ben Campbell is the decisionmaker and he can be reached at ben.campbell@columbian.com. (Please also cc: guild37082@gmail.com.) And finally, please share the email you sent at the SWCLC Facebook page.

Thank you for taking the time to show your solidarity with workers in the The Columbian Guild/Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild.