Four Chicago Sun-Times photographers to be rehired

The union representing the Chicago Sun-Times photographers who lost their jobs when the entire photography staff was fired this year says the paper’s publisher has agreed to rehire four of them.

Chicago Newspaper Guild executive director Craig Rosenbaum also says the agreement is related to a three-year collective bargaining agreement between five newspapers and the Sun-Times Media group. He says employees of the Sun-Times and another paper ratified it Monday and union spokeswoman Beth Kramer says employees at the other three papers ratified it Tuesday night.

Rosenbaum says Sun-Times Media Group has agreed to pay a $2,000 lump sum to photographers who aren’t rehired. Rosenbaum also says the four photographers have to be hired at one of five newspapers within the next 90 days.

Sun-Times Media Group declined to comment.