Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) member and Jalopnik News Editor Erik Shilling joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed a successful four – day strike by Gizmodo Media Group Union (GMG Union) with G/O Media.
As part of the Writers Guild of America East, the GMG Union represents staff from digital publishers Kotaku, Gizmodo, Jalopnik, Jezebel, Lifehacker and The Root.
About 90 staff workers went on strike for four days. It was authorized with 100 percent of the vote with about 90 percent of staff voting, Shilling said. The WGAE supported the strike through an email writing campaign and established a GoFundMe page to help striking workers.
The strike worked, as the GMG won a higher minimum salary for all positions, with $62,000 now being the lowest tier, up from $55,000 previously. Staff will also be guaranteed 3 percent annual raises, 15 weeks of parental leave and 12 weeks of minimum severance. The staff also won guarantees against forced relocation for current remote staff and trans-inclusive healthcare with standards compliant with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
Shilling encouraged more shops to consider using strikes as leverage. It can take a long time to get a contract, especially in the digital media space, he said. Once it authorized a strike, the GMG saw great results fast, he added. Shiling encouraged more shops to take the option to strike more seriously.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.