What We’re Up To
First Contract
The Dodo Union ratified its first collective bargaining agreement on December 19, 2018. You can read more about the ratification here.
The bargaining committee released a statement:
“This contract was achieved through the collective action and mutual support of all of our colleagues, and we are so proud of the standards we established together. We are very excited to join our colleagues at Thrillist as we ratify the second union contract at Group Nine, and we look forward to other shops in digital media working together to provide themselves with the same fair and basic protections.”
Victory!
The video, editorial, social, and content acquisition staff at the Dodo won their union election 34-4 on May 11, 2018.
Why We’re Organizing
The video, editorial, social and content acquisition staffs of The Dodo are proud to announce we are unionizing with the Writers Guild of America, East. The digital media landscape is growing at an unprecedented pace, and The Dodo remains committed to leading the conversation in one united voice. As our company rapidly grows, union protections are some of the most effective mechanisms we have as employees to remain empowered as workers and valuable contributors to the company’s continued success. We are excited to join our Group Nine peers at Thrillist as union colleagues and to take the next step in The Dodo’s evolution.
The Dodo is committed to helping audiences make emotional connections to animals, from our family pets to the most endangered species throughout the world. As storytellers, we strive to entertain and inform; to honor heroes working tirelessly in the field; and to inspire people to take positive action in an animal’s life. We are the number one animal brand on social media, with billions of content views that have lead to a measurable impact in the real world, and we’re preparing to enter the realm of television. As an advocacy leader, we have a responsibility to ourselves, our subject matter and our audience to be as transparent as possible in our processes and ensure that our mission is reflected in every decision made.
By organizing, we will codify a set of values that preserve The Dodo’s workplace as an an open, progressive, and collaborative environment. Here are a few of the issues we are eager to address as a union:
Transparency. Honest communication between management and employees is essential to bolstering morale and producing the best creative work possible. Major decisions that affect the future of The Dodo and its employees must be communicated in an open, ongoing dialogue so that the staff has agency over their growing job responsibilities.
Editorial standards. As branded content and advertising expand their foothold in our revenue model, we must establish protocols that balance our business and editorial interests. To guarantee that our commercial needs never come into conflict with our mission, we must create and uphold a rigorous system of internal accountability.
Diversity. In order to promote values like respect and compassion, we need to reflect those values through an inclusive workforce that mirrors the diversity of our audience. It is vital to provide a safe and collaborative workplace where every employee is treated equally and to build concrete pathways of opportunity for underrepresented voices and perspectives.
Equitable salary, compensation, and benefits. To recruit the best talent possible, we need clear and comprehensive job titles and competitive compensation and benefits. We expect fair salary minimums for all positions; a standard for raises; and regular, diverse pathways for growth.
Guidelines around performance, disciplinary action and severance. As a large, collaborative production lab, individual performance must be judged clearly, consistently and with diplomacy. Guidelines will prevent unnecessary disciplinary situations or terminations, as well as provide acceptable severance packages, should the need arise.
We deeply believe in the mission of The Dodo and cherish the shared working experience we have cultivated as a team. Our office is one of the best places to work in the industry, and this union will foster a democratic process in which every employee has an equal voice. We look forward to joining you at the table and continuing the conversation.