NEW YORK, NY (July 30, 2018) – The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) today distributed a petition to management at both Thrillist and Slate signed by over 300 Writers Guild members in scripted film and television. The petition calls on the digital media companies to agree to first union contracts that include livable salary minimums, fair raises, quality benefits and union security.

Lowell Peterson, the Executive Director of the WGAE, sent the petition to Slate’s leadership via email. He noted, “We are one union, united in our determination to win contracts that address our members’ needs and aspirations. We are confident our members’ solidarity will bring meaningful progress at the bargaining table, including standard union security provisions that ensure that everyone shares the gains and responsibilities.”

WGAE President Beau Willimon hand-delivered the petition to Thrillist’s management at a bargaining session where he was joined by twenty members of the Thrillist bargaining unit. Willimon, the creator of Netflix’s House of Cards and HULU’s The First, handed the petition across the table and urged Thrillist to listen to the demands of its unionized staff and allies from across the entertainment industry.

The petition was signed by a number of prominent Writers Guild members, including Tina Fey, Samantha Bee, Michelle Wolf, Robin Thede, Franchesca Ramsey, Chris Gethard, Jon Glaser, Anthony Antamanuik, David Simon, Robert Carlock, Michael Rauch, Tom Fontana, David Mandel, Warren Leight, Michael Arndt, JC Chandor, Tony Gilroy, Paul Haggis, Phil Johnston, Richard LaGravenese, John Sayles, James Schamus and Michael Weber.

In addition, the petition included signatures from the writers of The Americans, Blue Bloods, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Dirty Dancing, Divorce, House of Cards, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Law & Order: SVU, Mr. Robot, Quantico, Saturday Night Live, Sharp Objects, Sweetbitter, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Zootopia and many more films and television programs.

The WGAE is currently negotiating first contracts at Thrillist and Slate. The labor union represents digital-first editorial and video staffs at Vox Media, Onion Inc., HuffPost, VICE, Fast Company, The Dodo, The Intercept, ThinkProgress, MTV News, Salon and Gizmodo Media Group.

The full petition reads, “As WGA members in scripted film and television, we stand in solidarity with our colleagues at Slate and Thrillist as they bargain their first union contract. There is a long history of unionization across American media and entertainment industries because creative professionals deserve a seat at the table to negotiate just working conditions, livable salary minimums, fair raises, quality benefits and union security. We therefore call on Slate and Thrillist management to settle these contracts without further delay.”

Here is the full list of Writers Guild members who signed the petition:

• Doug Abeles, The Rundown with Robin Thede
• Kristen Acimovic, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper
• Peter Ackerman, The Americans
• Jonathan Adler, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Sharbari Ahmed, Quantico
• Dan Amira, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Anthony Antamanuik, The President Show
• Michael Arndt, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• John Auerbach, Stepfather 2
• Ben August, Remember
• Kevin Avery, The Jim Jefferies Show
• Jon Robin Baitz, Brothers & Sisters
• Tanya Barfield, The Americans
• Kristen Bartlett, SNL
• Alex Baze, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Henry Bean, The OA
• Samantha Bee, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Chris Belair, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Andy Bergman, The Freshman
• Eleanor Bergstein, Dirty Dancing
• Shari Springer Berman, American Splendor
• Rex Best, The Bold and the Beautiful
• Hilary Bettis, The Americans
• Ashley Nicole Black, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Peter Blauner, Blue Bloods
• Katja Blichfield, High Maintenance
• Andy Blitz, Ghosted
• Emmy Blotnick, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Steve Bodow, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Sage Boggs, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Joel Booster, Birthright
• Patrick Borelli, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
• Zack Bornstein, SNL
• Joanna Bradley, SNL
• Kyle Bradstreet, Mr. Robot
• Justin Brenneman, Quantico
• Scott Brown, Sharp Objects
• Mike Brumm, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Dan Cadan, Kill Me If You Can
• Hallie Cantor, Arrested Development
• Justin Cappa, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
• Kim Caramele, Inside Amy Schumer
• Robert Carlock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Anna Cascio, General Hospital
• Neil Casey, The President Show
• Pat Cassels, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Tom Ceraulo, 30 Rock
• Matthew Chapman, Reaching for the Moon
• Nate Charny, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Carmen Christopher, The Chris Gethard Show
• JC Chandor, A Most Violent Year
• Andrea Ciannavei, The Path
• River Clegg, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper
• Larry Cohen, Berlin Station
• Robert Brooks Cohen, Law & Order: SVU
• Deborah Copaken, Shutterbabe
• Cullen Crawford, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Lisa Cullen, Love After Love
• Carolyn Culliton, Days of Our Lives
• Cherien Dabis, Empire
• Sinead Daly, The Get Down
• Nick Damici, Hap and Leonard
• Raquel Dapice, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
• Bonnie Datt, Confirmed Bachelors
• Cami Delavigne, Blue Valentine
• Devin Delliquanti, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Brad Desch, Fathers & Daughters
• Anthony DeVito, The Break with Michelle Wolf
• Mike DiCenzo, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
• Zach DiLanzo, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Zayd Dohrn, Underground
• Bryan Donaldson, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Greg Dorris, The Chris Gethard Show
• Nicole Drespel, The Chris Gethard Show
• Richard Dresser, Keen Eddie
• Mike Drucker, The President Show
• Eric Drysdale, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Rob Dubbin, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Chris Duffy, Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas
• Ariel Dumas, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Cirocco Dunlap, Russian Doll
• Laura Eason, House of Cards
• Grace Edwards, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Glenn Eichler, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Lee Ellenberg, The Late Show with David Letterman
• Colin Elzie, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
• Brant Englestein, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
• Alex English, The Rundown with Robin Thede
• Mathan Erhardt, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Kate Erickson, The Path
• John Esposito, The Walking Dead
• Brendan Feeney, Law & Order: SVU
• Tina Fey, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Halley Feiffer, Mozart In the Jungle
• Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel
• Kaitlin Fontana, Black and White
• Tom Fontana, Homicide
• Noah Forman, The Chris Gethard Show
• Kevin Fox, Law & Order: SVU
• Zev Frank, Patriot
• RJ Fried, Our Cartoon President
• Lewis Friedman, The Comedian
• Rich Fulcher, Disenchantment
• Ziwe Fumudoh, The Rundown with Robin Thede
• Stephen Gallagher, The Forgotten
• Sal Gentile, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Terry George, Hotel Rwanda
• Chris Gethard, The Chris Gethard Show
• Melissa James Gibson, House of Cards
• Gina Gionfriddo, The Alienist
• Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
• Jon Glaser, Jon Glaser Loves Gear
• Matt Goldich, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Josh Gondelman, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
• Joe Gonzalez, Bosch
• Jill Goodwin, The Late Show with David Letterman
• Graham Gordy, Quarry
• Heywood Gould, Trial by Jury
• Sudi Green, SNL
• Marsha Greene, Mary Kills People
• Gabe Gronli, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Joe Grossman, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Peter Grosz, The President Show
• Tian Jun Gu, House of Cards
• Stephen Adly Guirgis,
• Dan Gurewitch, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Lauren Gurganous, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Jenny Hagel, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Geoff Haggerty, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Paul Haggis, Quantum of Solace
• Kate Hall, General Hospital
• Katori Hall, Pussy Valley
• David Handelman, Rogue
• Dan Hardy, Monster of Florence
• Peter Hedges, Ben Is Back
• Amy Herzog, Victoria Woodhall
• Marshall Heyman,
• Steve Higgins, SNL
• Peter Hoare, Kevin Can Wait
• Robby Hoffman, The Chris Gethard Show
• A.M. Homes, Falling Water, Mr. Mercedes
• Allison Hord, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Janet Iacobuzio, General Hospital
• David Jenkins, People of Earth
• Jackie Jennings, The Chris Gethard Show
• Michael Robert Johnson, Mute
• Dru Johnston, The Chris Gethard Show
• Phil Johnston, Zootopia
• Mitra Jouhari, The President Show
• Wes Jones, Billions
• Ben Joseph, Me, Myself and I
• Barry Julien, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Miles Kahn, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Elliott Kalan, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
• Jill Kargman, Odd Mom Out
• Michael Karnell, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Jay Katsir, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Steven Katz, The Knick
• Joe Kelly, I Kill Giants
• Thomas Kelly, The Get Down  
• Dan Kennedy, The Escort
• Lodge Kerrigan, The Girlfriend Experience
• Maryam Keshavarz, Vulture Club
• Daniel Kibblesmith, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Matt Kirsch, Disjointed
• Matt Koff, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Nurit Koppel, The Ethicist
• Susan Kim, Nina’s World
• Christopher Kyle, Serena
• Richard LaGravenese, The Divide
• Scotty Landes, Workaholics
• Matt Lappin, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Charla Lauriston, Ghosted
• Warren Leight, Law & Order: SVU
• David Levinson-Wilk, The Joker’s Wild
• Gabe Liedman, Broad City
• Brett C. Leonard, Fear the Walking Dead
• Kenneth Lin, Sweetbitter
• John Lutz, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Lisa Lutz, The Deuce
• David Mandel, Veep
• James Marino, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Laura Marks, BrainDead 
• Julie Martin, Law & Order: SVU
• Kelly Masterson, Snowpiercer
• Dan McCoy, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Ian McCulloch, Chicago Fire
• Alison McDonald, Red Band Society
• Doug McGrath, Infamous
• Lauren Sarver Means, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Sam Means, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Arthur Meyer, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
• Jo Miller, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Kassia Miller, The Last Man on Earth
• Rebecca Miller, Maggie’s Plan
• Becky Mode, SEAL Team
• Oren Moverman, Love & Mercy
• Christine Nangle, The President Show
• Chioke Nassor, Loosely Exactly Nicole
• Maria Nation, The Beach House
• Justin Nowell, Friends From College
• Siobhan O’Connor, Blue Bloods
• Brendan O’Hare, The Break with Michelle Wolf
• Alice O’Neill, Billions
• Isaac Oliver, High Maintenance
• Joseph Opio, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Elizabeth Page, General Hospital
• Jaime Paglia, Eureka
• Zhubin Parang, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Owen Parsons, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper
• Josh Patten, SNL
• Asher Perlman, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper
• Dewayne Perkins, The Break with Michelle Wolf
• John Pielmeier, World Without End
• Jasmine Pierce, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
• Jeremy Pikser, Bullworth
• Luke Pitrowski, Stephanie
• Frank Pugliese, House of Cards
• Franchesca Ramsey, Franchesca & Show
• Joe Randazzo, @Midnight
• Michael Rauch, Instinct
• Will Reichel, Hot Air
• Jackie Reingold, The Good Fight
• Seth Reiss, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Katie Rich, SNL
• Matt Roberts, The Late, Late Show with James Corden
• Kate Robin, One Mississippi
• Celine Robinson, Law & Order: SVU
• Seth Zvi Rosenfeld, The Get Down  
• Jason Ross, The President Show
• Sara Rothschild, 24-7
• Sharyn Rothstein, Moguls, Suits
• Natasha Rothwell, Insecure
• Julie Rottenberg, Divorce
• Craig Rowin, Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later
• Amber Ruffin, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Tom Ruprecht, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
• Eben Russell, Alone Together
• Melissa Salmons, Days of Our Lives
• Frank Santopadre, The View
• John Sayles, Lone Star
• Sara Schaefer, The Fake News with Ted Nelms
• James Schamus, Lust, Caution
• Bill Scheft, The Late Show with David Letterman
• Stephen Schiff, The Americans
• Thomas Schnauz, Better Call Saul
• Bob Schneider, Normal Life
• Steven Schreibstein, L.I.E.
• Pete Schultz, SNL
• Mike Scollins, Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Tom Sellitti, Benders
• Lara Shapiro, Berlin Station
• Naomi Sheridan, In America
• Scott Sherman, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Christopher Shinn, Four
• Kate Sidley, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Courtney Simon, One Life to Live
• David Simon, The Deuce
• Blair Singer, Youth & Consequences
• Robby Slowik, TNNON
• Chuck Sklar, The Late Late Show with James Corden
• Andrew Smith, SNL
• Lauren Ashley Smith, The Rundown with Robin Thede
• Scott Smith, Siberia
• Amy Sohn, Campus
• Joel Solomon, Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons
• Diana Son, 13 Reasons Why
• Alex Song, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
• Chris Sparling, Mercy
• Jen Spyra, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Dan St. Germaine, The Break with Michelle Wolf
• Olen Steinhauer, Berlin Station
• Will Stephen, SNL
• Sasha Stewart, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
• Greg Stone, The Break with Michelle Wolf
• George Strayton, Mech-X4
• Ted Tally, The Silence of the Lambs
• Melinda Taub, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
• Chap Taylor, The Blacklist
• Jordan Temple, The Rundown with Robin Thede
• Robin Thede, The Rundown with Robin Thede
• John Thibodeaux, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Jill Twiss, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
• Seena Vali, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
• Evan Waite, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• John Walsh, Lords of Manhattan
• Michael Weber, The Disaster Artist
• Jeremy Weiner, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
• Roz Weinman, Law & Order
• Anthony Weintraub, Bel Canto
• Seth Wetiberg, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper
• Michael Weller, Hair
• Max Werner, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Collen Werthmann, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
• Matt Williams, Home Improvement
• Beau Willimon, The First
• Tracey Scott Wilson, The Americans
• Michelle Wolf, The Break with Michelle Wolf
• Brian Wood, Dark Horse Motion Comics
• Christopher Yakaitis, The Deuce
• Rafael Yglesias, Aquarius
• Steve Young, The Late Show with David Letterman
• Mauricio Zacharias, Little Men
• Stu Zicherman, Sweetbitter
• Elisa Zuritsky, Divorce

ABOUT WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, EAST
The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in motion pictures, television, news and digital 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.