GMG Union staff at G/O Media publications go on strike to secure fairer contracts

Unionized workers at publications including Kotaku, Gizmodo, Jezebel, Lifehacker, The Root, and Jalopnik are striking to secure fairer contacts.

A number of staff at those G/O Media-owned outlets have unionized under the Gizmodo Media Group Union (GMG Union) banner, and are attempting to collectively bargain for contracts that guarantee healthcare, offer adequate family leave, codify diversity initiatives, provide work-from-home flexibility, prevent G/O from lowballing salaries, and protect staff from forced relocations to the NYC office.

Since January 31, 2022, GMG Union members have met five times with G/O Media's outside council, but say the council has failed to proactively engage with their good-faith proposals. As a result, GMG Union members have decided to down tools after a strike authorization vote that ended with 100 percent in favor at a 93 percent turnout.

"How can you bargain a contract when the people across the table won’t even clearly state what they’re advocating for?" reads a GMG Union statement. "We have not made this choice to strike lightly. 

"As of March 1 [...] we're asking people not to click on -- or contribute content to -- Gizmodo, Jalopnik, Jezebel, Kotaku, Lifehacker, and The Root."

GMG Union has established a strike fund where people can donate money to help those on the picket lines. At the time of writing, over 300 people have contributed $22,300 to GMG workers on GoFundMe.