Northwest newspapers ratify contract with McClatchy including raises and AI limits

Staff at five Northwest newspapers ratified a three-year contract with McClatchy Media that delivers raises and explicit limits on how the company can use artificial intelligence. The deal covers NewsGuild members at the Idaho Statesman, The Olympian, The Tacoma News Tribune, Tri-City Herald, and the Bellingham Herald, ending more than a year of contentious bargaining that included a one-day strike on May 26.

Pay raises and a new salary floor

Workers will receive raises of 7.2% to 15.5% over the life of the contract, with immediate increases of 3% to 11.1%. The deal also sets a new minimum salary of $52,000. The raises were a central demand in the union's campaign. Staff held the one-day strike in May to push for better pay and stronger AI protections.

AI protections in the contract

The contract prohibits McClatchy from using AI to replace staff, cut pay, or reduce working hours. It also bars the company from forcing reporters to use AI tools, publishing deepfakes, impersonating union members without consent, or creating AI-generated journalists. These provisions are a concrete example of how unions are addressing AI in the workplace. They give writers a clear picture of what protections are possible when contract language is on the table. Kristine Sherred, food and dining reporter for the Tacoma News Tribune and co-chair of the Washington State NewsGuild, said the bargaining effort showed solidarity. "Our joint bargaining showed we are indeed stronger together," Sherred said. "Now comes the ongoing battle of enforcing our gains."

Why this matters for writers

This contract shows that AI protections can be won through collective bargaining. For writers worried about AI replacing staff or forcing unwanted tools, the deal offers a concrete template: ban replacement, ban coercion, ban deepfakes. The contract also gives writers in other newsrooms a reference point for their own negotiations. AI for Writers training can help journalists understand what these tools can and cannot do, and AI for Creatives covers similar issues for creative professionals in other fields.