Statement on VICE Media Sale to Fortress Investment Group

NEW YORK, NY (July 31, 2023) – The following is a statement from the VICE Union regarding the sale of VICE to Fortress Investment Group:

We are pleased to learn that Fortress has finalized its purchase of VICE, and hope that this signals the end of what has been an overall chaotic and unpleasant period for our union members.

We, the VICE Union, which includes the members of the  Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and Motion Pictures Editors Guild (MPEG) IATSE Local 700, now call on Fortress to honor our Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) that have provided VICE’s staff with meaningful worker protections. Doing so will not only be a gesture of respect to the workforce, but will also ensure a smooth transition period for everyone involved.

As part of its commitment to honor the CBAs, it is imperative that Fortress address the outstanding matter of severance owed to dozens of people who were laid off in May. They have been waiting months for the money VICE agreed to pay them promptly in the event of layoffs. They cannot afford to wait any longer.

We look forward to continuing to create our award winning content under new management but remind management that VICE only exists because of our labor.

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