WGA East Members at Crooked Media Walk Out After More Than a Year of Contract Negotiations

LOS ANGELES and WASHINGTON, DC (August 5, 2024) – Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members in the Crooked Media Workers Union are engaging in a one-day walkout today, August 5, after more than a year of negotiations with management at the politically progressive media network. The staff are spending the morning leafleting outside Crooked Media’s office in Los Angeles.

More than 95% of the 61-member bargaining unit signed the walkout pledge, which read, “We, the undersigned members of the Crooked Media Workers Union, stand united in our pursuit of a collective bargaining agreement that adequately reflects the current economic landscape, the rapidly-evolving nature of the media and news industry, and the critical concerns of our members. This includes fair and competitive salary minimums, annual cost-of-living adjustments, and safeguards against layoffs, along with a range of benefits and company policies that truly embody Crooked Media’s progressive values. We will not accept any collective bargaining agreement without these guarantees.”

Founded in 2017, Crooked Media is led by founders Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor and Chief Executive Officer Lucinda Treat. Leading up to this year’s contentious presidential election in November, Crooked Media has dramatically increased its content output without adequate changes to staffing and wages that are reflective of these new responsibilities. 

In a statement, representatives from the Crooked Media Workers Union, said, “We care deeply about our work at Crooked and the larger progressive mission. It is because of those values that we are steadfast in demanding our fair share with a contract that reflects an equitable workplace. Jon, Jon, and Tommy have consistently reminded us that organizing is essential to successful politics. If the founders believe that this is the case, we ask them to show that by coming to the bargaining table in these final days. We look forward to their active involvement in ensuring a contract that adequately recognizes our unit’s essential work by August 8th.”

Last week, the WGAE filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge against Crooked Media with the National Labor Relations Act for “unilaterally changing the status quo of the previously negotiated Recognition Agreement and by insisting on a permissive subject of bargaining.” Specifically, Crooked Media has systematically excluded multiple staff members from the bargaining unit in an effort to undermine the union and deprive those workers of their collective bargaining rights. 

WGAE President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen said, “Crooked Media has failed to live up to its values with its anti-union negotiating tactics. This work stoppage is the direct result of leadership’s refusal to agree to fair terms with their workers after a year of bargaining. It is time for Crooked Media’s leadership to come to the negotiating table ready to make a deal that allows staff to turn their full attention back to the critical elections happening in less than a hundred days.”

ABOUT THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA EAST
The Writers Guild of America East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union of more than 7,500 members working in film, television, news, podcasts, and online media. The Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members; conducts programs, seminars and events on issues of interest to writers; and presents writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America East, visit wgaeast.org. 

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