Hundreds of journalists across the United States walked off the job on Monday in the largest labor action in Gannett’s history. Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the country, has been accused by the union representing the journalists of decimating local newsrooms and urged to change its chief executive by the NewsGuild, which represents more than a thousand journalists from Gannett. The union criticized Gannett’s merger with GateHouse Media in 2019, accusing the company of loading itself with debt and “mortgaging the future of our company.” The demonstrations are timed to coincide with Gannett’s annual shareholder meeting on Monday. Two dozen Gannett newsrooms, including The Palm Beach Post, The Arizona Republic, and The Austin American-Statesman, are participating in the collective action. There will be no disruption to coverage despite the walkout, according to a Gannett spokeswoman.
