July 24, 2019 – More than five months after announcing their union drive, the journalists of BuzzFeed News officially won recognition of their union, the NewsGuild of New York has announced. A neutral party verified that a majority of staffers elected to be represented by The NewsGuild-CWA after reviewing cards signed by more than 90 percent of eligible employees.
“Voluntary recognition of the union comes on the heels of an extremely contentious five months of negotiations over who was eligible for the bargaining unit,” said the New York local, which led the organizing effort. The bargaining unit consists of 80 reporters, editors and designers working for BuzzFeed News across the nation.
Frustration reached a tipping point in mid-June, when employees staged a four-hour walkout to protest managements’ hardball tactics after four months had passed without union recognition.
BuzzFeed News employees are eager to get to the bargaining table and begin negotiating their first collective bargaining agreement, the local said.
“I’m proud of the hard, fearless work the organizing committee and the BuzzFeed newsroom has done so that we can advocate for ourselves in our workplace,” said Rachel Sanders, Deputy Culture Editor and member of the Organizing Committee. “We stayed strong in the face of fierce resistance from BuzzFeed management. Now that we’re finally recognized, I’m excited to bargain for a contract that will not only make this a stronger newsroom and company, but raise the bar for how workers are treated across our industry.”
Dominic Holden, Politics Reporter and member of the Organizing Committee, said, “We’ve had overwhelming support from our BuzzFeed News colleagues across the United States, and we’re thrilled to form a union after five months of hostile responses and delays from company executives.
“Unionization is now the norm in newsrooms, so it’s nice to see BuzzFeed finally catching up with the rest of the industry in ensuring workplace standards only a union can offer.”
In a mission statement presented to BuzzFeed News Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith in February, employees stated that “Our staff is uniting to demand a contract that guarantees paid time off is actually paid. We demand an agreement that requires due process for termination, a diverse newsroom, reasonable severance amid layoffs, a competitive 401(k), rights to our creative works, and affordable health insurance. We believe it’s urgent that our management address unfair pay disparities. We also believe that employees on contract — permalancers, who are paid through a third party but are functionally members of our team — deserve the same treatment.”
“It has been our members’ determination that has finally secured recognition,” said Grant Glickson, president of The NewsGuild of New York. “These workers have held BuzzFeed management accountable every day in demanding the recognition they deserve. We look forward to establishing a bargaining relationship that will lead to fair and equitable contract for our members at BuzzFeed News.”
NewsGuild President Bernie Lunzer welcomed the new union members and congratulated them on their victory. “You are helping to lead the fight for the future of journalism,” he said, “and we stand with you in that fight.”
Photo: Julia Reinstein gets ready to celebrate with cake.