Unionized journalists at Lifehacker, Mashable, and PCMag reach tentative contract deal with Ziff Davis that lifts wages by at least 3% and includes strong AI protections.
NEW YORK – Unionized journalists at Lifehacker, Mashable, and PCMag – who were prepared to walk out for the duration of Amazon’s July Prime Day Event, July 16 and 17 – have reached a tentative three-year contract deal with parent company Ziff Davis that lifts guaranteed wages by up to 3 percent and includes industry-leading AI protections.
Union ratification of the agreement will take place on July 24.
Highlights of the deal:
Wages:
- First year: 3% guaranteed increase; 1% merit
- Second year: 3% guarantee, 0.5% merit
- Third year 3: 2.5% guarantee, 1% merit
- $65K salary floor
- Retro paid raises to April 1, when the previous contract expired
AI:
- No members will be laid off or see a decrease in their base salary as a result of the implementation of Generative AI technology.
- Members will be part of an AI Subcommittee, which will evaluate the use of Generative AI technology and discuss plans, opportunities and issues regarding its implementation as well as its ongoing management. If the company intends to implement Generative AI tools that would assist in the creation of editorial work and impact the work of union members, the committee would be given reasonable notice and an opportunity to discuss first.
The deal also includes remote work protections and a more formalized process for members to be promoted and benefit from professional development.
“Over the last two weeks, we prepared ourselves to walkout over Prime Day,” said Jordan Minor, Senior Apps and Games Analyst with PCMag. “We braved the heat wave, distributed informational fliers to the public outside company headquarters in Manhattan and held packed strategy sessions in the event we could not reach a fair deal by Prime Day. This tentative agreement shows us that all that hard work – our collective actions and solidarity – paid off.”
The 62-member Ziff Davis Creators Guild, which is a bargaining unit of the NewsGuild of New York, had been working under an expired contract since April 1.
“There’s a phrase we use a lot in our union: ‘When we fight, we win,’” said Anthony Napoli, treasurer of the NewsGuild of New York. “This tentative agreement is exactly what we mean. Our Ziff Davis Creators Guild members came together and worked hard to show management that they would not back down until they achieved this deal – and they did.”