Sightline Media Union
LightNews LightNews
banner
sightlineunion.bsky.social
Sightline Media Union
@sightlineunion.bsky.social
23 followers 11 following 15 posts
The @wbng.org union for Defense News and Military Times journalists | Reach us at sightlinemediaunion@gmail.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
sightlineunion.bsky.social
Defense News and Military Times journalists past and present came together yesterday to stand up for our union and fight for a fair contract! We made sure people at these events heard us and what we want.

Thanks so so much to everyone who helped out and provided moral support to us. #UnionStrong
September 4, 2025 at 5:03 PM
sightlineunion.bsky.social
2/2
Multiple times, those negotiating on your behalf have explicitly told your employees, if you do not like the way we are running things, you can leave. And they have disparaged the intelligence and professionalism of the employees’ negotiators. This is not creating a constructive dynamic, and is counterproductive when our goals are to create a better, more cooperative workplace. We fear that you may not be well-served and accurately informed by your negotiators as to the state of the company here, the very real risk that the newsroom may collapse, and what we are asking for as part of this contract. We ask for you to meet directly with us at the bargaining table to have a frank, open and constructive discussion about how we can come to a compromise on a contract that addresses all of our needs. Since the 1940s, these papers have been the gold standard of defense journalism, and still produce hard-hitting journalism that wins multiple awards. We look forward to engaging with you, and working together to ensure they produce the best military journalism in the world for the next 80 years, and beyond. We would appreciate your response by Friday, July 18, so we can properly prepare for our already-scheduled August 15 negotiation session. Signed, Negotiating committee, Sightline Media Union Stephen Losey Jen Judson Courtney Albon Bryant Harris
July 21, 2025 at 3:17 PM
sightlineunion.bsky.social
Two weeks ago, we sent our CEO Michael Reinstein this letter asking him to come to the table to negotiate directly with us. We received no response, so are releasing it publicly. We renew our call for direct negotiations with our CEO to produce a fair and equitable contract. 1/2
A letter from the Sightline Media Union to Michael Reinstein: Chairman, Regent LP We are writing today to respectfully ask for your help resolving the gridlock that we fear is endangering the survival of Sightline Media Group and its publications. We know you are someone who cares deeply for journalism, and the military community these publications serve. We agree that it is an honor and a privilege to support service members and their families by providing truthful, timely and trailblazing news, in a way that both informs and entertains. But today, we are increasingly alarmed by the situation that now exists at Sightline Media Group, and are worried that unless things change soon, the already-understaffed publications will continue to bleed talent that goes unreplaced. We have lost multiple vital staff members over the last year, and if this continues, we may reach a point of no return that places the papers’ very existence in jeopardy. The heart of the issue is the unresolved contract negotiations, which have left in limbo efforts to bring on replacement reporters and severely damaged morale in the workplace. Reporters do not know what the future will hold, and as a result several vital employees have turned in their resignation notices. We have been negotiating for nine months now, and at the table, we have clearly communicated the issues we hope to improve so we can continue creating this important journalism. However, the company’s negotiating team has time and again rejected the vast majority of our substantive proposals. Often, they counter with nothing more than what the company already offers, or propose improvements that are so minuscule they do not come close to addressing the longstanding problems in our workplace. Most recently, negotiators rejected our proposal to set up a merit-based pay system that would provide employees incentives to produce excellent work. In its place, negotiators offered a 1% raise, and then upped the proposal to a mere 1.25% — something that would not even keep up with inflation. This comes on the heels of the mass layoffs the company instituted exactly a year ago right after our unanimous vote to unionize. The slow, incremental pace of negotiations also means that one year later, those seven employees have not yet received severance packages despite their years of dedicated service to Sightline Media Group. These — and other similar rejections — sends a message to experienced, knowledgeable and dedicated employees that we are not valued and not wanted. That is a hard message to receive, and if that is all the company is prepared to offer, that will prompt even more of our reporters to seek employment elsewhere.
July 21, 2025 at 3:15 PM
sightlineunion.bsky.social
Today we filed the latest unfair labor practice charge against Sightline Media Group, protesting their full-time in-office mandate. Please share this and tell @mortgreenberg.bsky.social, Kelly Facer and Regent to rescind this order and bargain with @sightlineunion.bsky.social in good faith.
March 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM