News Guild

NEW YORK – Unionized editorial workers at LexisNexis-owned Law360 have reached a tentative five-year contract deal that, among many gains, lifts wages by an average of 12%, increases family leave to 14 weeks, includes an average bonus of $9,000 and ensures strong job protections on AI and more.

Guild members will decide whether or not to ratify the deal in a vote scheduled for September 23. The Law360 Union bargaining committee recommends that members ratify the deal.

“What this tentative agreement represents is our unwavering belief in our value as workers,” said Hailey Konnath, a reporter for Law360 and unit chair for the union. “We refused to accept anything less than a contract that recognized our worth. This past week on the picket line we saw — and felt — the power of solidarity not only among ourselves but from the entire labor community. It’s that power and strength that got us to this point and earned us this tentative deal.”

Highlights of the deal include:

Wages and compensation:

• Members will see at least a 7% raise within one month of ratification;
• Average raise will be about 12% with the lowest paid members seeing a close to 21% raise
• In subsequent years of the contract, members will see 4% aggregate raises — split between discretionary (~2%) and General Wage Increases (2%)
• Bonuses of at least $6,000, with the average at $9,000
• By March, all current unit members will be making at least $67,000
• Each salary tier will see increases ranging from $5,400 to $10,000; and will increase again in 2027 by at least $2,500.

Health care

• 15% cap on health-care costs

Job security

• Maintains ‘just cause’ protections, which provides due process in the workplace and  requires management to have a just and fair reason to discipline an employee.
• The company must develop guidelines around the disclosure of AI-generated content, collaborate with workers on an AI Subcommittee to develop guidelines, and provide a 30-day notice for materially new or expanded uses of AI.

Benefits 

• 14 weeks of parental leave
• 5 sick days
• 4% retirement match after 3 years of employment
• Juneteenth as a paid holiday
• Remote work language that protects workers’ designation as either remote, hybrid or in-office and requires the company to bargain over any return-to-office mandates.

Law360 Union is the fifth largest bargaining unit represented by The NewsGuild of New York. Contract negotiations between the union, which represents about 250 workers, and LexisNexis began on Nov. 17, 2022. The union’s first contract expired on Dec. 31, 2022.

“Anyone who visited our picket line heard us chant, ‘when we fight, we win,’” said Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York. “This contract deal is exactly what we mean. When we utilize our power to demand dignity and respect in our workplaces, that’s when we win. Our members decided to withhold their labor to force management to recognize the value of their work as a unionized newsroom.  I am so proud of this union.”

New York State legislator Alex Bores has pledged his support to Law360’s striking journalists, calling the company’s hardball tactics and unfair labor practices “wholly unacceptable.”

The assemblymember joined the picket line Friday at the Midtown headquarters of Law360 corporate parent LexisNexis, which is located inside Bores’ 73rd District.

Bores applauded the Law360 Union’s efforts to secure liveable wages and reasonable benefits, and its resilience in fighting back against management’s unfair labor practices.

“You’ve done the hard work” of unionizing and securing an initial contract, Bores said. “And now you have a greedy corporation trying to pull back from that agreement. Not continue to invest in you, not to expand your rights as they should be, but trying to pull back on healthcare and what’s already been guaranteed.”

“And that is wholly, wholly unacceptable,” he added.

Dressed in Hawaiian shirts and leis for casual Friday instead of their customary red Newsguild shirts, the striking workers responded with a hearty chorus of boos.
“The only thing that makes Law360 what it is, is all of you,” Bores said. “It’s not the AI they want to use, it’s not the brand, it’s your work. That’s why it’s trusted. And they seem to have forgotten that.”

The striking workers said they couldn’t agree more.

Bores vowed to support Law360’s journalists until the company’s management agrees to a fair contract.

“They need to stand with their workers, they need to stand with all of you,” Bores said. “And until you do get a fair contract we will be out here from the state Legislature, saying we stand with your guild.”

“When y’all are out here I will be out here,” he added, to cheers and applause.

—Additional reporting by Sam Reisman. Transcribing by Philip Shea. Editing by Emily Kokoll and Marygrace Anderson.