Highlights include increasing wages a total of 11% over the life of the deal, salary floors that lift the lowest-paid workers, “just cause” job protections, and more.
NEW YORK – Unionized editorial staff at Fortune have won their first contract for both digital and print employees, a deal that lifts wages a total of 11% for the life of the deal, sets new salary standards, provides job security protections, and more.
On Tuesday, Fortune Union, which represents nearly two dozen writers, reporters, producers, editors, and artists, unanimously ratified the collective bargaining agreement that now covers both the remaining print employees carried over from Fortune’s former ownership under Time Inc., as well as the digital employees who organized in 2019.
“We are so excited to finally have a fair contract after a long battle,” said Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune Union’s unit chair. “Our union has repeatedly come together in tough times — including after a mass layoff over the summer reduced our unit size by one-third — to fight for the well-being of our newsroom. The efforts to secure this contract were no exception.”
Highlights from the deal include:
Salary and wages:
- A $4,000 signing bonus.
- Annual wage increases: 5% the first year; 3% the second and third years.
- Salary floors in five classifications now range from $68,000 to $130,000.
- Overtime pay for members working extra hours.
- Company match guarantees for the 401(k) plan
Job security
- “Just cause” protection, which mandates that the company must provide a valid reason for termination, such as serious misconduct or repeated violations of company policies.
- Fortune will also be required to follow an obligatory progressive-discipline process before firing an employee in cases where an employee’s behavior does not require immediate removal.
- Members are guaranteed severance in the event of layoffs.
- Restrictions are also placed on temporary employees, fellows, and interns to ensure members’ work is protected—and other workers cannot replace us while getting paid less.
Editorial standards protections
- Members are given authority to object “in good faith” to their names being placed next to an article that they have disagreements with.
- Protections against being asked to complete “branded content” or “commercial writing” work.
The contract is the culmination of a multiyear campaign, which includes a 24-hour work stoppage in March 2021, a conference strike threat in August 2021, and a September 2023 lunch-out, among multiple other collective actions.
“Our Fortune Union members refused to give up and accept less than they are worth,” said Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York. “Because they persevered, they won a contract that boosts wages for all and lifts salaries for the lowest paid across the union, along with important job protections like just cause. We say this all the time in our union because it’s true: When we fight, we win.”