Vermont newsroom wins AI input guarantee in union contract
The VTDigger Guild ratified a new four-year contract on April 1 with VTDigger, the nonprofit news outlet covering Vermont, after a year of negotiations. The agreement includes a 32.5% salary increase for reporters, expanded paid time off, and a requirement that journalists have input on how the outlet uses artificial intelligence.
The contract represents the second union agreement VTDigger's newsroom has secured. The AI provision addresses a growing concern in newsrooms: how outlets implement these tools without sidelining the journalists who understand the work.
What the contract covers
The specific language around AI use remains limited in publicly available details, but the inclusion signals that union negotiations increasingly center on how newsrooms adopt these technologies. For journalists, the guarantee of input means decisions about AI tools won't happen behind closed doors.
Salary increases and time off matter for newsroom retention. The 32.5% bump to minimum reporter pay addresses long-standing compensation gaps in nonprofit journalism.
Broader context
VTDigger's contract comes as newsrooms across the country grapple with AI adoption. Some outlets have used these tools to fill reporting gaps; others have faced backlash when AI systems produced inaccurate or duplicative content. The union's focus on journalist input reflects a shift toward negotiating AI terms rather than accepting them as inevitable.
For writers and journalists, understanding how AI fits into newsroom workflows has become essential. Resources on AI for Writers and Generative AI and LLM can help professionals navigate these conversations in their own workplaces.
Your membership also unlocks:
