Last week we reported on the June 3rd vote by Gawker media’s employees for union representation and speculated what it meant in the broader context of union organizing among Millennials.
Today, Rachel L. Swarns of the New York Times provided some insight based on interviews and reporting with Gawker workers.
The article notes a recent study by the Pew Research Center finding that those in the 18-29 age group view unions more favorably than those in other age groups, with almost twice as many having a favorable view of unions than those who don’t.
Swarns also points out the issues that organizers from the Writers Guild concentrated on during the organizing drive: severance, set minimum salaries for every job, annual meetings with supervisors to discuss performance, salaries and promotions, and contractual restrictions on the company’s ability to make changes to medical coverage without the union’s agreement.
As the article concludes, while both sides may have treated the union drive in a less adversarial manner than is typical, negotiations for a contract will be the hard part. That comes next.
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