Challenger Jon Schleuss defeated incumbent Bernie Lunzer 1,979 to 1,514 in the rerun election for NewsGuild-CWA president. The CWA blocked a decision of the Guild Executive Council to establish a reasonable transition period, so Schleuss took office immediately.
Lunzer narrowly won the initial presidential election, but Schleuss challenged it on several grounds. The Sector Election and Referendum Committee upheld that challenge, citing the high number of inaccurate member addresses that undermined mail balloting in locals (like the United Media Guild) that used that method.
An independent agency oversaw the rerun election, which drew much higher voter participation. The SERC certified the results Tuesday.
Prior to becoming president, Schleuss was a journalist at the Los Angeles Times and a key leader in that newspaper’s groundbreaking organizing drive. He ascends at a time when TNG is organizing new units at an unprecedented rate — but also facing huge financial challenges due to declining CWA membership.