And as we’ve learned from decades of Writers Guild organizing victories in the Film, TV, and Radio industries, the more digital media outlets unionize, the more effective our bargaining and contracts and future organizing attempts will be. This schedule covers the entire term of the 2020 Basic Agreement, but is not a substitute for the Basic Agreement. A union is the workers’ answer to the power imbalance inherent in the workplace. WGGB (Writers’ Guild of Great Britain) is a trade union representing professional writers in TV, film, theatre, radio, books, poetry, animation and videogames. We want to prioritize recruitment and retention of people with backgrounds that are often underrepresented in our industry, and hold Univision and Onion Inc. management accountable in adhering to our values. And the Nominees Are… Comedy/Variety Panel. It has around 20,000 members. Writers Guild of America 2020 Theatrical and Television Basic Agreement. There is power in a union, and that power helps union members secure the wages, working conditions, benefits, protections, and rights they deserve. The Guild negotiates and … The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in film, television, news and new media. June: Gawker Media – Deadspin, Gawker.com, Gizmodo, Jalopnik, Jezebel, Kotaku, and Lifehacker – unionizes, March: Gawker Media ratifies their first union contract, April: VICE Editorial ratifies their first union contract, July: ThinkProgress ratifies their first union contract. It is also essential that our creative staffs continue to have independent oversight of the editorial, graphical, and video work they produce, and that this is reflected in the hierarchy of the editorial publications. To ensure fair wages, hiring practices, consistent benefits, and severance pay NEW YORK, NY (January 20, 2021) ––FT Specialist US, a consortium of trade publications under the Financial Times, today announced they have unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) for the purpose of collective bargaining.A clear supermajority of FT Specialist’s 39-member US editorial staff signed union cards and called on management to voluntarily recognize the Guild. Forming a diverse committee is key to its success. New York, New York 10013. September: VICE Production – VICE news, Viceland, and digital video – unionizes, January: Slate and Vox Media – Curbed, Eater, Polygon, Racked, Recode, SB Nation, The Verge, Vox.com, and Vox Studio – unionize, April: Onion, Inc. – The A.V. Labor unions are why the 40-hour work week and overtime pay exist. The organizing committee can also determine who will be in your bargaining unit, which is the group of employees that will be covered by your union. The two-year contract covers 69 employees and includes annual pay increases, minimum pay grades, strong diversity and anti-harassment language, just cause, union security, editorial independence, intellectual property rights, and an end to permalancers through a provision that states that if someone contracts/fellows/apprentices for Onion Inc. for 12 consecutive months or 18 cumulative months in 24 months, the company must offer them a full-time role. A union is how workers can come together to discuss their working conditions, their wages, and more without fear of reprisal from management. Once a strong majority of your bargaining unit has signed cards, you may be ready to approach your company’s management to demand recognition. 250 Hudson Street, Suite 700 As long as you reasonably believe the answers you provide could lead to discipline or other adverse action (like a change in working conditions) by the company, you have the right to ask for a union representative. The unit is currently negotiating their second contract. The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) is a labor union representing film and television writers as well as employees of television and radio news.. Regardless, once employees are represented by a union, management is required to notify the Writers Guild if they take any disciplinary action against an employee. Read the WGA East Comedy/Variety Writers letter of support for the Onion Inc. Union here. T: 212-767-7800 F: 212-582-1909 T: 212-767-7800 F: 212-582-1909 At this time, there will be no in-person Script Registration. Employees at Hearst Magazines have voted to unionize with the Writers Guild of America, East. In practice, this could be a meeting with management where you’re questioned about your performance or other workplace behavior. To strengthen our culture and maintain editorial independence You’ll be having a lot of conversations with your colleagues during the organizing process, so get comfortable with it as soon as possible! Since the Guild began in 1954, our member base has grown to include not just film, television, and radio writers, but also the creative professionals behind webseries, nonfiction television, digital news, and podcasts. There are several steps to forming and winning recognition for your union. The Writers Guild of America East is accusing NBC News of union-busting.. The creative staff at Onion Inc. overwhelmingly ratified its first collective bargaining agreement with the WGA East on December 20, 2018. This is also where the organizing committee comes in: As you await recognition from your company, the committee can plan actions to pressure the company to give voluntary recognition. The best way to gain recognition for your union is through a voluntary card check, in which a neutral third party (like an independent arbitrator) verifies that a majority of members of the prospective bargaining unit have signed union cards. The union’s operations will remain as efficient and effective as possible, but if it takes someone a bit longer to get back to you or complete a task, please understand we are trying to balance our vital union work with serious public health concerns. The Onion Inc. staff union with the WGA East was voluntarily recognized by management in April 2018. The first and most important step is talking to your co-workers: Gauging interest in a union at your workplace, and finding like-minded people who are interested in organizing, is crucial to move the process forward. Club, Clickhole, The Onion, The Takeout – unionizes, May: Talking Points Memo and The Dodo (the second company owned by Group Nine Media to do so) unionize, July: Fast Company unionizes; The Intercept ratifies their first union contract, October: Thrillist and Salon ratify their first union contracts, December: The Dodo ratifies their first union contract; ThinkProgress ratifies their second union contract, January: Slate ratifies their first union contract; Refinery29 unionizes, February: CBSN (CBS News’ 24/7 Streaming Channel) unionizes, March: GMG (formerly Gawker) ratifies second contract, June: Fast Company ratifies their first union contract; Vox ratifies first union contract after a day-long walkout, July: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) unionizes, November: Hearst Magazines announces union campaign; Vice Media acquires Refinery29, December: Refinery29 joins VICE Union contract, February: After being acquired by Spotify, The Ringer begins union negotiations; HuffPost ratifies their second union contract, March: CBSN ratifies their first union contract, July: Hearst Magazines wins NLRB vote to unionize, October: Parcast and NowThis – another company owned by Group Nine Media – unionize, November: Bustle Digital Group (Bustle, Elite Daily, Input, Inverse, Mic, Nylon, Romper, and The Zoe Report) unionizes, Writers Guild of America, East Onion Inc. is unionizing with the Writers Guild of America, East. Contents. The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) is a labor union representing film and television writers as well as employees of television and radio news. Read CNN's Fast Facts about the Writers Guild of America and learn more about the organization that represents more than 16,000 film, TV, broadcast and new media writers. This week the Writers Guild of America, East – a trade union of TV writers and digital journalists – called for the removal of the International Union of Police Associations from the AFL-CIO, the labor federation which represents them both. We want to ensure fair compensation for everyone who contributes to the success of Onion Inc., including contractors. Sometimes, a company will ask that union recognition come via an online election or – in some cases – a National Labor Relations Board vote. If management wishes to terminate an employee during the negotiation phase, they’re required to both notify and bargain with the Writers Guild. And remember, you are not alone; you can always reach out to a WGAE staff organizer by filling out this form. Writers Guild of America, East 250 Hudson Street, Suite 700 New York, New York 10013. A union is worker recognition of these facts. Labor unions are why weekends exist. By organizing, we intend to protect the culture and values that make Onion Inc. a singularly great place to work and establish a formal means by which the employees have a collective and meaningful voice in our workplace. Writers Guild of America, East This is the group that will talk to more employees to assess support for the union, as well plan and execute actions (like lunches, social media blasts, or even strikes). January: HuffPost ratifies their first union contract; Univision forms Gizmodo Media Group and Gawker Media, Fusion, and The Root become one unit. We’ve seen the positive effects of unions across digital media newsrooms, especially at our Gizmodo Media Group sister sites, and believe Onion Inc. will similarly benefit. IMPORTANT UPDATE ON COVID-19 AND THE WGAE: Please note that WGAE staffers will be working at home as much as possible. Writers Guild of America, East 250 Hudson Street, Suite 700 New York, New York 10013. In April 2019, private equity firm Great Hill Partners acquired Gizmodo Media Group and The Onion from Univision. The Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creati Writers Guild of America, East 250 Hudson Street, Suite 700 New York, New York 10013. "I am delighted to let you know that we have reached an agreement with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) to proceed to voluntary recognition by counting signed union cards," Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, said in an email to staff. IMPORTANT UPDATE ON COVID-19 AND THE WGAE: Please note that WGAE staffers will be working at home as much as possible. Join us each Friday in March as the Writers Guild of America, East’s Women’s Salon celebrates Women’s History Month with a series of live talks ... 12 Mar / 2021. Writers Guild of America is a labor union that represents professional writers in film, television, radio, and digital media. These signify that your unit’s members have asked a particular guild to represent them in collective bargaining negotiations. T: 212-767-7800 F: 212-582-1909 For more updates, please visit wgaeast.org/covid19. New York, New York 10013. 250 Hudson Street, Suite 700 These union … Writers Guild of America, East 250 Hudson Street, Suite 700 New York, New York 10013. If there is any inconsistency between this schedule and the Basic Agreement, the Basic Agreement controls. More than 90% of the 30-member staff signed union cards and CPJ management has recognized the guild as the staffers' bargaining agent, according to WGAE. For more updates, please visit wgaeast.org/covid19. A union is not alone, though: a union is part of a larger labor movement. T: 212-767-7800 F: 212-582-1909 Read more about the first contract here. Giving Writers The Credit They Deserve. There are thousands of news, television, film, and digital media industry workers who fall under the banner of the Writers Guild of America, East—which is itself part of the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of labor unions in the United States, and which is also part of the broader labor movement in America and worldwide. Read more about the organizing campaign at Onion Inc. here. These are called Weingarten Rights. Writers attached to the union focus on big budget movies, independent films, late night comedy, variety shows, daytime serials, broadcast and radio … We are a labor union representing writers in film, television, news and new media. T: 212-767-7800 F: 212-582-1909 The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in film, television, news and new media. A “strong majority” of editorial, video, design, photo, and social media staff at the publisher’s 24 online and print publications signed cards to form a union , WGAE said Monday in a statement . As of May 2, 2020. We best understand what our departments need to succeed. And the Nominees Are… Long-Form TV & Limited Series Panel, Representing Members at Investigatory Interviews from Labor Notes, NLRB v. J. Weingarten, Inc., 420 U.S. 251 (1975), the Supreme Court decision that gave us Weingarten Rights. Writers Guild of America, East 250 Hudson Street, Suite 700 New York, New York 10013. We must ensure that we are all part of any major decision-making process that affects the company’s organizational structure, editorial practices, or financial outcomes. Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) is a 501(c)(5) labor union made up of thousands of members who are creators of television and film in the United States. The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers: No matter what changes have impacted the media industry, the Guild has always played a central role in fighting for—and winning—better standards for our members. Unions are also why we have the minimum wage and the National Labor Relations Act that protects workers’ rights in the United States. One union by itself might have power in its workplace, but we all have more power and influence together, in solidarity. They are how workers get a seat at the table with management, how they can guarantee themselves higher wages and raises, health insurance, and myriad other benefits that, otherwise, management would not be compelled to offer or formally guarantee. The first Onion Inc. CBA expires at the end of 2020. The union’s operations will remain as efficient and effective as possible, but if it takes someone a bit longer to get back to you or complete a task, please understand we are trying to balance our vital union work with serious public health concerns. A group composed of employees who represent a variety of interests (e.g., part-timers and full-timers, office-based and remote employees) will be better able to speak for the entire bargaining unit. This includes a workplace with pay equity, job stability, quality healthcare, overtime compensation, concrete parental leave, and formalized channels for communication with management. It was formed in 1954 from five organizations representing writers, including the Screen Writers Guild. As we continue to work with Univision and Fusion Media Group, we are unionizing to establish transparency and open communication around the high-level decisions being made that affect Onion Inc. A union will ensure that Onion Inc. remains a place that attracts and retains talented people, upholds opportunities for professional growth, and continues to be the most widely read, most lucrative, and most respected media company that has ever existed in the history of the written word. WGAE is primarily involved in contract negotiations, contract enforcement, and various other issues regarding employment by companies. Maintaining a safe and supportive environment is imperative in facilitating the creation of high-quality work. If the meeting has already started and you don’t have a union representative present, you have the right to pause the meeting and not answer any more questions until a union representative can be present. Once you have enough colleagues on board, you’ll form an organizing committee. Staffers of the Committee to Protect Journalists have joined the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). At this time, there will be no in-person Script Registration. We believe Onion Inc.’s success begins and ends with its creative staffs, who are responsible for producing the content that sustains the company’s reputation and profitability. These actions – including pizza lunches, Slack strikes, changing Twitter avatars, and even strikes – can be very effective in pushing a company in the right direction. A union’s members are the source of labor, and there is no workplace, no product, no labor performed without them. In any investigatory meeting with management that you believe might result in disciplinary action, you’re entitled to have a union rep present. We seek to preserve the collaborative spirit and creative integrity of Onion Inc. The Writers Guild of America, East has been negotiating with television production companies ITV and Leftfield, seeking a contract that would protect pay minimums, health benefits, working conditions, and basic provisions such as grievance and arbitration and union security. After you’ve formed the organizing committee, it’s time to start talking to your colleagues who would be a part of the bargaining unit, and – if they’re supportive of the union – getting them to sign union cards. It’s workers coming together, refusing to take only what is given to them by those who profit from their work, and instead seeking to improve the conditions of their lives and their workplace. However, even before you negotiate and ratify your first union contract, you have rights as a member of a recognized union. The sale was completed on April 8, 2019, and Gizmodo Media Group and The Onion were combined into a new company called G/O Media. You can also ask point-blank: “Could this meeting result in discipline?”. The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers. The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union representing thousands of members who write content for motion pictures, television, news and digital media. To have a seat at the table ... "We, the Writers Guild of America East, stand with our Asian American Pacific Islander screenwriter and journalist members against the latest wave of hate crimes against Asians across the country."