The vote was overwhelmingly in support of a union.
The vote was 248-44, according to the union. tupungato/getty

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One of the most historically anti-labor newspapers in the country is getting a union.

Los Angeles Times staffers cast their ballots earlier this month. A tally today by the National Labor Relations Board found an overwhelming 248 to 44 vote in favor. The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America will represent the workers at the paper.

The news comes just a day after an NPR report detailing sexual harassment allegations against the paper's CEO and publisher, Ross Levinsohn, who admitted to ranking the "hotness" of women colleagues and allegedly once told another executive he wouldn't stay at an event full of "ladies and fags." In response, more than 180 newsroom employees signed a letter saying Levinsohn has "lost credibility as the leader of one of the country's top newspapers." Members of the union organizing committee said Levinsohn "should resign or be fired immediately."




The L.A. Times is one of the few major newspapers in the country that's not unionized. The organizing effort came amid internal uncertainty and a wave of organizing at digital media companies.

"We are determined to halt the rampant turnover and knowledge flight that has destabilized our newsroom," the organizing committee wrote in their mission statement. "With a union, we can begin to address stagnant wages, pay disparities and declining benefits. And we can create a workplace that reflects the diversity of Southern California."

Tronc, the L.A. Times parent company, is one of the most idiotic and embarrassing villains in the modern media landscape. Last week, the union organizing committee published a proposal for new L.A. Times offices that included a rooftop helipad, game room, and branded coffee cups. In a presentation hinting at a possible unpaid contributor network, the company described journalism this way: "Editorial teams creating brand defining work in distinctive areas."

Unsurprisingly, the company also waged a lengthy anti-union campaign. But the thing about running anti-union campaigns against journalists is that they fact-check you:




A spokesperson for Tronc told the newspaper today, "We respect the outcome of the election and look forward to productive conversations with union leadership as we move forward."

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Of course they do.

Congratulations to the L.A. Times!