Gizmodo Media Group Ratify New Contract with Writers Guild of America, East

NEW YORK, NY (MARCH 5, 2019) — The 169-member editorial staff at Gizmodo Media Group has unanimously ratified its second collective bargaining agreement with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE).

Gizmodo Media Group, which is owned by Fusion Media Group, a division of Univision Communications, includes the popular websites Deadspin, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, Kotaku, io9, Jalopnik, Splinter, The Root, Jezebel and Earther. The sites reach an estimated 100 million unique users per month.

In addition to Gizmodo Media Group, the Guild represents digital media staffs at Vox Media, VICE, CBSN, HuffPost, Refinery29, Onion Inc., Thrillist, The Dodo, The Intercept, ThinkProgress, MTV News, Salon, Slate, Talking Points Memo, Fast Company, and Future plc.

The Gizmodo Media Group’s new three-year agreement includes:

• 3% guaranteed increases in each year of the contract;
• Successorship agreement to protect the contract in the event of a sale;
• Increased severance for layoffs with a guaranteed minimum of 11 weeks with no trigger threshold;
• $2,000 bonus paid upon ratification of the contract;
• Increases to salary minimums with higher increases for lower paid employees to create more equity in our pay scale and raise standards at all levels;
• Gender neutral parental leave of 12 weeks;
• Commitment to diversity issues in hiring and to address ongoing concerns at the company with $20,000 annual funding for diversity initiatives;
• “Just Cause” to give employees due process in disciplinary actions;
• Legal Support from the company for issues arising from authorized work for the Company;
• Non-Discrimination language and improved protections against sexual harassment and in company response;
• Improved Health and Safety language including the right to union representation in bringing a case of sexual harassment;
• And strengthened supports for career development to provide better opportunities to grow and advance your career.

Lowell Peterson, Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America, East, said “The WGAE-represented employees at Gizmodo Media Group have again proved the power of collective action. The new GMG contract cements workplace protections, financial gains and paths for career advancement. Guild members united to address many of the issues that are critical in newsrooms around the country, from sale of operations to diversity to harassment to editorial independence.”

The Gizmodo Media Group Bargaining Committee said, “We’re incredibly proud of the contract we won. With a strong union, and the support of our colleagues at other unionized shops across digital media, we were able to build on our first contract and help elevate industry standards to better protect workers and the independence of our newsrooms. But building labor power in digital media is bigger than just a contract, so the struggle for a more democratic, transparent industry continues. There’s power in standing together, and when we fight we win.”

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