A union is organized when a group of employees (in this case, the editorial staff of MSNBC and The Choice) gather together to advocate for their interests and negotiate a contract with management to set minimum standards. Union contracts are common in our industry and can address everything from salaries and benefits to diversity and inclusion. Across the media industry there are hundreds of examples of union contracts improving workplaces with transparency and equity – achieved by the employees who joined with the other union members across the country to lift standards for all.

The Writers Guild of America, East is a labor union of over 6,000 creative professionals in broadcast news, scripted television and motion pictures, and digital media. For decades, the Writers Guild has been essential in fighting for better standards in working conditions, compensation, and the rights of its members in their industry. The WGAE’s mission is to build a community of creative professionals with the willingness to support one another and the power to secure fair standards across the media industry. For more information on the WGAE, please visit www.wgaeast.org.

Here is a great example of how WGAE members stood together to support over 500 editorial staff at Hearst Magazines who organized to join the union (and it includes some highlights of what union members have won in their WGAE contracts):

Writers Guild members already have union contracts at CBS News, ABC News, and local affiliates (along with thousands of other television news workers who belong to other unions). Here are some great examples: https://www.wgaeast.org/guild-contracts/ 

Thousands of media employees have come together to unionize their workplaces and negotiate union contracts. Fundamentally, the demand of any group of workers forming a union is the same – to win a formal seat at the table in order to negotiate over the future of their workplace and raise standards across their industry. The resulting union contracts offer security and protection against unilateral changes from management. Each group decides what to advocate for at the bargaining table as a union. 

In television news, the difference between union and non-union environments is clear: when media workers have the ability to negotiate as a group, our workplaces are fairer with better compensation and paths to sustainable careers. Though priorities vary from workplace to workplace, the issues tend to revolve around the same categories. Media employees want to address core economic concerns, including: pay equity and transparency, preserving or improving benefits (health, retirement, etc.), regular and fair cost of living increases, working conditions (proper staffing and compensation for long hours through overtime/comp time), job security, and proper crediting. Creative professionals also negotiate to address workplace culture issues, including: diversity and equity, clear job descriptions with a path for promotion, corporate transparency and communication, and editorial policies and independence.

Leadership, internal structures, and programming at news companies can change rapidly. Organizing is a way to ensure a seat at the table and guarantee terms of employment, including policies on severance, layoffs, discipline, and termination. Companies expand rapidly and workers deserve to participate in decisions made about the future of the companies they helped build. Union membership expands the role of staff in the decision-making process and the direction of a company. Union members in media participate in building the company through the creation of committees and increased communication and collaboration across regions and departments.

Additionally, organizing a union isn’t only about the future of one company. Industries with union density have fewer pay gaps and higher pay overall. Union members across the industry are working together to support each other and build a long-term movement to address and change systemic issues like diversifying the media industry and protecting critical journalism.

A workplace is “officially” union upon winning union recognition. Union recognition means that the company has a legal obligation to bargain a contract. Many media companies have respected their employees’ democratic right to organize and recognize their employees’ unions after a neutral third party verifies that a majority of employees have signed union cards or petitions (this was the case at CBSN, Vox Media, The Atlantic, and dozens of other media companies in the past several years). We certainly hope MSNBC will respect our rights, avoid unnecessary delays, and voluntarily recognize our union.

Some media companies insist on a National Labor Relations Board election to certify union representation.

After winning recognition, we will nominate a bargaining committee that will negotiate a first contract with the company based on our entire group filling out bargaining surveys. A union contract is only in effect after being bargained and voted into place by the employees covered by the union.

Collective bargaining is just that – bargaining. There are no guarantees of what we will win in a first contract, but there is a guarantee that the network must bargain in good faith with the elected committee made up of MSNBC WGAE members. The entire bargaining unit (every MSNBC employee eligible for union membership) would then vote on whether to ratify the contract before anyone is responsible for union dues.

WGAE members across the industry (including ABC and CBS News) have bargained terrific contracts that guarantee good salary minimums with annual raises, excellent benefits, compensation/overtime for long hours, and help to ensure fairer workplaces. You can check them out here: https://www.wgaeast.org/guild-contracts/

It is our legal right to organize a union at work. The WGAE takes that right very seriously and stands with employees to see that they are protected when they organize. You can read about your legal right to form a union on the National Labor Relations Board website.

Beyond the legal protection from any kind of company retaliation, the union is a way to ensure we have job protection through the solidarity and strength of our coworkers. When hundreds of people come together and support one another through a union, we are protected from bad or retaliatory management behavior. No one individual can be singled out. This is not the case in a non-union work environment.

In addition, we face an environment now in which we have no protection against unilateral cuts and changes, and no guaranteed voice in shaping the future of our network.

Given the global pandemic, we find ourselves in a unique moment – obviously, these are unprecedented times. MSNBC executives may use this talking point to try to persuade us that now is not the right time to form a union. But it’s just the opposite: it is clear that we need to have a seat at the table. We formed our union to ensure that we all have a voice and more security at work, and to bring us together in times of great difficulty. And we believe that the best way to navigate the ever-changing media industry, pandemic or not, is together.

We might hear that unions create divisiveness between staff and management. Joining a union does not mean all conversations or disagreements will become contentious. Employees can still try to work out issues with their managers through direct, polite conversation. However, if there is a conflict that has become intractable, unions provide employees an additional resource (and the support of fellow members) for resolution. In addition, a union contract will guarantee minimum standards for employees. 

The MSNBC unionization effort was started as an act of optimism to make sure every single employee has a safe, fair, and equitable working environment, not to stoke division. 

A union contract also does not mean that merit raises, or higher salaries based on seniority vanish. Once a union is recognized a “status quo period” takes effect meaning management cannot cut salaries, or take away benefits without a negotiation. Management is still allowed to give merit based raises during this time. 

One of the most common anti-union talking points is the idea that the union is an outside entity that will impose restrictive rules or create more bureaucracy. Management will often ask staff to give the company a chance to make improvements before bringing in a union. But the union is not a third party. It’s all of our colleagues coming together to establish common priorities and bargain collectively over the terms and conditions of our employment. It’s the only way for staff to have a guaranteed seat at the table and a guaranteed say in pay, working conditions, and benefits. The union can be used to establish things like employee site reps and labor management committees, which will increase, not limit, open lines of communication. 

Often these types of messages are delivered by management via email as well as individual and group meetings. Most anti-union campaigns use the same script – one example is management’s unsuccessful anti-union campaign at Thrillist. Management is not allowed to interrogate, intimidate or threaten you over your union activity. If you feel your rights have been infringed upon, contact the MSNBC Union organizing committee: msnbcunion@wgaeast.org.

Organizing a union is the best way to protect the benefits we currently have, which are at the full discretion of management in a non-union environment. Once our union is recognized, the company must maintain the status quo and can no longer make unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment; any changes must be negotiated through collective bargaining. 

Dues ensure that Guild members have the resources to organize, negotiate and enforce strong contracts, seek legal support, and implement member-driven events and programs.

No one pays dues until a first contract is negotiated and voted upon. It’s up to us to work together to advocate for a strong contract and then decide, through voting, whether or not to ratify the contract.

WGAE dues are set by the WGAE Council (a governing body made up of elected members). Dues are 1.5% of earnings + $40/quarter membership fee. After a contract is negotiated and ratified, dues are deducted each pay period. Upon leaving a union shop, individuals can decide to continue paying the $40/quarter fee to retain Guild membership. The initiation fee is a one-time $500 fee that is waived for anyone on staff before a union contract is in place; it is paid in installments by anyone hired after contract ratification.

Absolutely not! We all want to broaden our skillset and grow in our jobs. What we don’t want is to face years of doing higher level work without the title or the pay. When we have the ability to negotiate over job descriptions, paths to promotion, and opportunities for growth without the potential for exploitation, we’ll be able to ensure a fairer system for all of us.

Realistically, management probably will resist making at least some of the changes a union asks for during the bargaining process. This is where our democratic process matters most. The bargaining committee will do extensive outreach to make sure we’re democratically and accurately fighting for the changes our members want. We can take collective action and call on fellow WGA members and allies to help advocate for changes if progress does not happen at the bargaining table.

We might hear that unions create divisiveness between staff and management. Joining a union does not mean all conversations or disagreements will become contentious. Employees can still try to work out issues with their managers through direct, polite conversation. However, if there is a conflict that has become intractable, unions provide employees an additional resource (and the support of fellow members) for resolution.