We need our community’s support now more than ever. If you value #localjournalism, the best way you can support us is by staying engaged, continuing to read and sharing our message. Learn more here https://t.co/EhMlLSOYC2

We need the support of our community now more than ever. If you appreciate our work, don’t cancel your subscriptions, but consider sharing our message and calling for our newsroom to be preserved.

We love this community and are passionate about covering it thoroughly, but doing so becomes harder when our newsroom loses the dedicated professionals who have expertly covered our community for years.

One of those photographers is also our Guild unit leader, who has fought tirelessly for years to protect our newsroom and the very rights and protections we now fear are under threat.

We are losing two Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers and an award-winning business reporter - all exceptional journalists who bring passion, talent and expertise to their work covering our community every day. We have not been told why these cuts are necessary.

Less than two months after Darius Anderson and Sonoma Media Investments sold The Press Democrat and its sister publications to Media News Group/hedge fund Alden Global Capital, our new owners have already started layoffs. Important 🧵

While MNG is ultimately responsible for this and any future reductions, Darius Anderson, managing member of SMI, is responsible for willingly selling us to a company with this known history of deep cuts to journalism staff.

Although this buyout offer is voluntary, there is growing concern that workforce reductions are imminent, which would detrimentally affect our local news coverage.

MNG is following a familiar script that has played out across their acquired properties, where they immediately aim to get rid of journalists, in direct contradiction to what they say about their commitment to journalism.

Members of the Press Democrat newsroom guild were given voluntary buyout offers today. This comes less than two weeks after SMI, (led by Darius Anderson), the owners of the Press Democrat, sold to MediaNews Group (led by the notorious hedge fund Alden Global Capital). 🧵

Statement from The Mercury News Guild's leadership on MediaNews Group's acquisition of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:

https://t.co/XqFKncJCJS

We call on Darius Anderson/SMI and Hearst to take immediate action and honor the contract. The Press Democrat workers deserve better. https://t.co/XqFKncJCJS #PressDemocratGuild #UnionStrong #WorkersRights #Solidarity #HonortheContract

Our union has worked with SMI in good faith for years. In 2012, we sacrificed our pension, and agreed to reduce wages and vacation days so that SMI could purchase the newspaper. Recently, we agreed not to participate in a class-action lawsuit to financially shield the company.

The Press Democrat Guild is demanding that owner Darius Anderson/SMI stand by their commitment to community journalism and SMI journalists, and guarantee that Hearst will uphold the terms of our current contract.

Press Democrat Guild Calls on Darius Anderson/SMI and Hearst to Honor Our Contract & Union We are being SOLD!

And a big thank you to @HunterPaniagua of @PacMediaGuild who guided us through every step of the bargaining process and spoke on our behalf at the bargaining table. We appreciate all of your hard work and support!

We will enforce the contract we won and never stop fighting to make our newsrooms the best workplaces they can be. We will also continue to support our colleagues in newsrooms across the country as they fight for fair contracts. So keep following along for updates! #UnionStrong

We are grateful for all the support we have received throughout this process. Thank you to readers, members of the community and other news guilds and unions across the United States who cheered us on! 7/8

Securing this contract and the terms that we fought hard for will help provide stability and hope for the future of our newsrooms. It will help us continue to do this work and preserve local news. 6/8