News

UNI Global Union has urged tech companies to follow the example set by The Huffington Post which has voluntarily recognised its union, the Writers Guild of America, East, as the collective bargaining representative of its editorial staff.

Arianna Huffington, in an email to staff said: “I am delighted to let you know that we have reached an agreement with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) to proceed to voluntary recognition by counting signed union cards. Assuming a majority, we will recognize the union. We look forward to a great relationship with our union as we work together to take The Huffington Post to new heights across the world.”

The Writers Guild of America is an affiliate of UNI MEI – the global union for the media, entertainment and arts. Responding to the news, UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings said, “We congratulate the Writers Guild of America, East and The Huffington Post for this landmark deal that sends a message to the gig economy that unions are ready and willing to engage with tech companies to help grow quality jobs and successful businesses in the new world of work.”

“It is possible to find a rewarding long-term career in online media, and those companies that engage in structured labour contracts and relations are one step ahead of the rest in guaranteeing a committed and engaged workforce. If the new digital media model can be built in such a sustainable way, the entire gig economy can,” Jennings said.

Digital media is a rapidly changing industry. The pace of innovation is what makes the work exciting to many but also leaves a number of workers vulnerable. A union and a union contract can help to address issues at tech companies in a systematic way and to protect the individual.

The news comes a day ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos which will focus on the challenges and opportunities presented by the future world of work. Governments and unions are becoming increasingly concerned at the rise of on-demand working arrangements which seek a competitive advantage by ignoring long-standing labour relations guidelines.

Lowell Peterson, Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America, East, added: “The Huffington Post establishes a critical mass of support for collective bargaining in digital media. This movement empowers the people who write, edit and produce content to build sustainable careers doing work they care about. As digital media continues to transform the way information is shared and stories are told, it is essential that content creators have their concerns about the workplace – and about the work itself – be heard and addressed by management.  The WGAE is very pleased to work closely with The Huffington Post’s dedicated and talented editorial staff at this historic moment.”

The Huffington Post’s organising committee said: “We are pleased to announce the recognition of our union. The unionization of The Huffington Post’s editorial staff is another example of our newsroom practicing what we preach. Our campaign to win union recognition has united us in many ways. We’ve come together as a community across regions, departments, and positions to work towards a shared vision.

“The challenges and many steps in this process have brought us together and reaffirmed our commitment to bargaining a strong and fair contract. As we’ve stated from the very beginning, we’re proud to call ourselves HuffPosters, which is why we look forward to continuing to advocate for each other, our workplace, and our profession.”