The Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton, Massachusetts, announced it has a new publisher. The move comes after employees decided to unionize.
The new publisher of the Gazette and the Valley Advocate is Aaron Julien, who's also CEO of the company that owns the papers.
A week ago, a majority of employees at the company's Northampton office signed a petition requesting recognition of the union.
Staff writer Dusty Christensen is one of the union organizers. He said he and fellow employees plan to stay the course.
"Aaron Julian coming on board as publisher does nothing to change the fundamentally underlying conditions we"re hoping to change with our union," Christensen said. "Our demand for the union remains unchanged."
Christensen said employees want better working conditions, and greater transparency and democracy in the workplace.
Julien couldn't be reached for comment, but acknowledged to the Gazette that the timing of the change is connected to the union petition. He'll also be overseeing the Greenfield Recorder and the Athol Daily News.
Julien replaces Michael Rifanburg, who is moving to a different role in the company.
