PORTLAND, Maine — The owner of a Maine newspaper has decided to recognize a union formed by its employees.
The union will represent more than 30 newsroom workers at the Bangor Daily News, which covers Maine's third-largest city and many of its rural northern and eastern communities. The paper's parent company made the announcement on Friday.
The workers organized as part of the News Guild of Maine. The bargaining unit will include reporters, digital editors, photographers and others at the BDN and weekly papers, the paper reported.
In an email Friday to NEWS CENTER Maine, BDN reporter and union spokesperson Emily Burnham wrote that the team is "thrilled that management has decided to recognized that we have overwhelming staff support -- more than 90 percent in total -- and a strong vision for a more equitable future."
Burnham said more information will be soon be released, once paperwork has been signed with the BDN for legal recognition.
"This victory would not have been possible without the hard work of all the members of our new bargaining unit," BDN reporter and union member Caitlin Andrews said in the email. "It is the result of months of organizing and solidarity with one another. This is just the beginning of what we will accomplish as a union."
The Bangor Daily News' parent company is Bangor Publishing Company, which is a family-owned business. The company dates to the 19th century.
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