Bernie Lunzer, an experienced and progressive leader, is running for re-election as president of The NewsGuild-CWA, the American arm of our union. As a member of CMG and CWA Canada, you have a right to vote in the election.
Under Bernie’s leadership, the Guild has brought in 4,000 new members in the last four years, including at the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times – an incredible feat by any standard.
He has also been a big ally of our Canadian union, supporting our autonomy and our place within the bigger CWA union family.
This is a critical time for the media industry and is vital that we have an experienced leader.
Please vote to keep your union strong by voting for Bernie!
Message from Bernie:
As President of The NewsGuild-CWA and in my Guild activism, I have fully supported Canada and autonomy for Canada so that CMG, your local union, is part of CWA Canada which is fully independent and governs itself.
I worked closely with CMG overseeing benefits during the CBC lockout in 2005, when CWA paid millions of dollars in strike pay to more than 5,000 union members.
I also work closely with Martin O’Hanlon, President of CWA Canada, and have agreed to every request for money he has made for supporting organizing, freelance media, and other journalism-related projects across Canada. Martin has endorsed me.
I have helped lead a progressive change in our union, greatly expanding the media groups we represent, giving us more political influence as our industry is in crisis.
The NewsGuild-CWA in the U.S. and CWA Canada are now part of the fastest growing union membership in North America. In the U.S. we have organized nearly 4,000 media workers and others in four years.
Why should you care? Because an international union is critical to the lifeblood of the CMG. I back your leaders when they fight for better contracts, and serve on an international committee that works to preserve independence, working conditions, respect and safety of media workers, and to preserve our union culture and democratic process.
You deserve experienced, knowledgeable leadership that can continue the momentum of our current organizing. We are fighting to preserve our industry. Quality, credible journalism matters and I work every day to save it.
If you care about your contract, your union, and the larger issues we face in the workplace — please vote for a proven advocate for media in the U.S. and Canada.
Thank you,
Bernie Lunzer