Members of TIME Union voted unanimously last week to ratify a new contract after three years of bargaining.
This is the first contract that covers all TIME editorial employees — ending the divide between the print side of the magazine and the digital side and TIME for Kids. TIME digital and TIME for Kids workers organized in 2019; their print colleagues have been unionized for about 80 years.
“We spent years and years trying to erase that artificial divide,” said Jennifer Schiavone, the unit secretary who is a copy editor on the print side. “Journalism is journalism and we’re all doing it,” she said.
Unifying all editorial employees under the protection of a single contract will enhance workers’ power at TIME.
Following soon after Supreme Court decision that ended abortion rights, the agreement is the first Guild contract to secure language protecting reproductive and gender-affirming health care. Union negotiators also secured the right to re-open bargaining to address reimbursement for travel expenses once legalities around this issue become clearer.
The new contract raises the salary floor to $60,000 this year and to $63,000 in March 2023. In addition, all workers will get a $3,000 raise.
The contract also includes strong Equity, Diversity and Inclusion language, which will help ensure that staff reflects the world they live in and that the company invests in journalists from underrepresented groups. It also bans the use of nondisclosure agreements in cases of sexual harassment or discrimination.
Workers mobilized throughout the contract campaign, Schiavone said. They sang Contract Carols at Christmas time, organized a No Contract-aversy Party, held lunchtime rallies, sent letters to management, sent “reply all” emails to the newsroom, and organized questions for company Town Hall meetings.
“Everything we won is a testament to the solidarity of our newsroom,” Schiavone said.