NEW YORK – 11 days ahead of the 25th annual New Yorker Festival, the magazine’s most star-studded and high-profile event, the New Yorker Union, a bargaining unit of The NewsGuild of New York, has settled on a Tentative Agreement with parent company Condé Nast.
Days after a Strike Authorization Vote was passed unanimously, and a support pledge signed by dozens of New Yorker staff writers began to circulate, management began to make movement in key areas such as pay, job security and company policies that govern employees’ ability to perform work outside of company time.
“Our members’ unflagging solidarity and militancy—along with invaluable support from our colleagues outside the union—showed that we are organized, united, and committed to fighting for our rights,” said Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker Union Unit Chair. “We refused to give in to the company’s attempts to erode the progress we’ve made since unionizing in 2018, and we won a contract that continues to raise standards for workers at The New Yorker, at Condé Nast, and throughout the media industry.”
Some contract wins:
- The unit increased the salary floor to $63,000 upon contract ratification, with $2000 in cash bonuses for any employee making below $65,000; the floor bumps up to $64,500 effective April 1, 2026.
- A 6% General Wage Increase (GWI) over the next 6 months and 12% total over the life of the three-year deal.
- A $1000 ratification bonus for all full-time members on top of the GWI.
- Defended a flexible comp time policy for overtime work which was threatened with severe restrictions.
- Maintained comp time/vacation policy that pays out employees in the event of a layoff
- Outside work language that limited Conde Nast’s overreaching proposal, protecting members’ ability to take on external opportunities free from unnecessary corporate surveillance.
- Reductions in Force language that fought off Condé Nast’s attempts to execute layoffs by job title (as opposed to by department), along with extending notification timelines.
- Improved vacation accrual and standards for creative leave.
- Improved paid family leave.
- Maintained secure language on retirement.
The unit will be scheduling a ratification vote in the coming weeks.
“Our members have demonstrated the value of their labor to the New Yorker, time and time again. We are so pleased they have secured such a strong contract,” said Susan DeCarava, NY Guild President. “This agreement builds on years of hard work by these incredible members, improving working conditions not just for the magazines’ employees, but setting higher standards for the entire industry.”
The unit of over 100 editorial employees first unionized with The NewsGuild of New York in 2018. Negotiations for a successor contract began in March, 2024.