Gawker First Digital Media Company To Organize
On Thursday Gawker Media announced the results of a closely-watched employee vote over whether or not to join the Writers Guild of America East union. The AP reported that the vote was 75 percent in favor of unionizing, with 90 percent of those eligible voting. The AP noted that while traditional media like the New York Times, and the AP are represented by unions, Gawker Media has become the “first digital media outlet to organize.” In a statement Gawker founder and CEO Nick Denton said “Gawker is leading the movement in the online media world toward collaboration and inclusion.”
International Business Times noted the vote wasn’t without controversy, particularly from employees at Gawker’s sports-focused site, Deadspin. However, the Times said, “by airing their dirty laundry in public, Gawker’s employees attracted plenty of media attention” from outlets like the Los Angeles Times and Wired, as well as from the AFL-CIO and other unions including Verizon Wireless workers and the Culinary Union.
What Happens Next
There will be about 120 workers affected by the vote to unionize. However, a union won’t happen overnight. As The Guardian (UK) explained, staff must still work on many details of the plan. In Thursday’s announcement, staff wrote that their “next steps” will be “determining what we want to bargain for; forming a bargaining committee; and negotiating a contract.”
What This Means For Small Businesses
Gawker Media’s unionization is just the latest high-profile announcement of workers engaged in collective bargaining. The employee vote in favor of unionization is troubling, because it could create yet another example for employees and pro-labor forces to cite as they ramp up pressure for small businesses in New York City and elsewhere to support union agendas. Increased unionization would lead to undue burdens on labor costs, a negative on small business’ growth.
Additional Reading
NFIB previously covered the Gawker employees’ union vote.
