Res 1015-2025

Whereas, The Daily News ("the paper") has served as New York's "hometown paper" for over 106 years; and Whereas, The Daily News has provided New York, and the world, with award-winning community focused journalism; and Whereas, The Daily News has acted as a vital watchdog on behalf of working New Yorkers and their families; and Whereas, The Daily News has earned national recognition, including multiple Pulitzer Prizes, for its coverage of issues affecting the city's diverse communities; and Whereas, The Daily News has both informed the public and held institutions accountable; and Whereas, In May 2021, Alden Global Capital ("Alden"), a private equity firm with a well-documented history of gutting local newspapers, acquired The Daily News; and Whereas, Shortly after taking ownership of The Daily News, Alden began asset stripping and downsizing the storied newspaper; and Whereas, Alden left the paper's state-of-the-art New Jersey printing facility for an older non-unionized facility; and Whereas, Alden reduced the staff of The Daily News to just 54 full-time journalists to cover a city of 8.5 million residents; and Whereas, In 2021, in response to the cuts made by Alden, the editorial staff of The Daily News voted to unionize with the NewsGuild of New York; and Whereas, The Unionized staff at The Daily news have been in contract negotiations with Alden for three years; and Whereas, The unionized staff at The Daily News are seeking fair wage floors and annual cost-of-living adjustments amid high inflation; and Whereas, The unionized staff at The Daily News are seeking equitable treatment and benefits for part-time employees; and Whereas, The unionized staff at The Daily News are seeking protections against the subcontracting of union jobs; and Whereas, The unionized staff at The Daily News are seeking the preservation of critical benefits, including sick leave, vacation time, paid parental leave and 401 (k) matches; and Whereas, These basic labor standards are essential to newsroom stability and the long-term viability of local journalism in New York City; and Whereas, A vibrant and independent press is a cornerstone of democracy and civic life; and Whereas, The weakening of local news harms public accountability, civic participation and informed governance; and Whereas, Alden's predatory practices threaten the future of delivering local and national news to New York city readers; and Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York condemns Alden Global Capital cuts and managerial hostility towards unionized Daily News staff and calls on the hedge fund to reach a contract deal with the newspaper's union. LS #20068 7/10/25 EHC