From The Daily News Union | Statement on Promised then Rescinded Bonuses

Tribune Publishing won’t recognize our union, but it also won’t pay us the bonuses it promised to “non-union” employees -- and the company is using the union election process it forced us into as an excuse to not give us those checks.

On Jan. 27, just days before we announced our union, Tribune promised to pay bonuses on Mar. 26 to all non-union employees, to “reward” our sacrifice during the pandemic. This came after furloughs and permanent pay cuts for employees.

Soon after, Tribune and New York Daily News Editor in Chief Robert York refused to recognize our union, forcing an NLRB vote.

Today, we learned that unlike members of Daily News management, we did not receive those bonuses.

So, which is it? Does Tribune recognize us as a union? Or are we eligible for the same bonuses that were sent out to “non-union” employees?

Robert York is even dressing up this shameful attempt of disrupting our organizing efforts as “taking a neutral position” because of the ongoing NLRB election -- even though those bonuses were promised before any election was planned.

Tribune and Robert York can’t have it both ways. Their decision to deny bonuses to us, while simultaneously refusing to recognize our union, is a betrayal at best and a sad attempt at union-busting at worst.

We are weighing our options accordingly.