Pioneer Press union workers call for new ownership
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Reporters at the Pioneer Press are speaking out against the hedge fund that owns their paper, in light of a recent round of employee buyouts.
Union workers are calling for new ownership and hope to find a local owner that better understands the paper's role in the Twin Cities community, according to a release from the Pioneer Press Guild Workers.
Since 2012 Alden Global Capital has had a majority stake of the paper, there have been more than 60 jobs cut from the editorial staff. Eight more people are expected to leave in the next round of buyouts.
On Tuesday, union employees wore shirts with the slogan #NewsMatters to draw attention to their cause.
“At this point we no longer own our presses, we no longer own our building, so at this point the only place to cut is people, and that is working journalists who cover the news in our communities,” said Dave Orrick, a reporter at the Pioneer Press and officer with the Minnesota Newspaper and Communications Guild.
Fox 9 reached out to Alden Global Capital for comment, but they have not responded yet to our request for a comment.