NEW YORK – Unionized editorial staff at Forbes are walking off the job through Monday in protest of the business magazine’s attempts to prevent union members from exercising their rights as well as slow-walking contract negotiations.
This the first walkout for the Forbes Union, and the first known work stoppage in the magazine’s 106-year history. It occurs during the production of its February/March print issue.
The walkout began at 9 a.m. Thursday and ends at 11:59 p.m. Monday.
“We formed this union to protect the standards of a professional newsroom and create a more inclusive and transparent workplace, as well as for job security, equity in pay and opportunity, and accountability,” said Andrea Murphy, unit chair and statistics editor for Forbes. “Management’s only interest is to delay, stall and obstruct, as well as try to block our members from protected union action. We are taking this unprecedented step to show that we will not allow such disrespectful behavior towards our negotiations to continue.”
The Forbes Union organized with The NewsGuild of New York in 2021. For more than two years workers have been fighting for a first contract, only to be met with tired, union-busting tactics by Forbes management.
On Thursday, The NewsGuild of New York took action against the company, filing an unfair labor practice charge on behalf of the Forbes Union for the company’s interference with protected union activity, discrimination based on protected union activity, and refusing to bargain in good faith. Late last year, a Forbes manager attempted to deter a Forbes Union member from exercising her rights after she participated in a “reply-all” email action. During that action, she expressed serious concerns about the company’s commitment to editorial integrity and transparency.