• by Sara Guaglione , August 15, 2018

Staffers at travel and food site Thrillist protested failed collective bargaining attempts with parent company Group Nine Media yesterday, in what the Writers Guild of America East is calling one of the first walkouts by a digital-native media outlet.

Just six of the 61 members belonging to the Thrillist union — represented by the Writers Guild of America East, which also represents employees at HuffPost, Vice and Vox, among others — went to work Monday. The rest met at the Writers Guild of America East offices in New York, where 91% voted to authorize a strike if needed, Leanne Butkovic, Thrillist entertainment editor and union representative, told Ad Age.

Thrillist’s union claims Group Nine refuses to compromise on issues such as “livable salary minimums and fair annual increases.”

“The unit will not agree to the scant, inadequate economic terms Group Nine management has put on the table,” the statement from the union reads.

Multiple Thrillist employees who did not show up to the New York office yesterday reported having their Slack accounts and emails deactivated, according to accounts posted to Twitter. At least one staffer’s key card did not work when he tried to get into the building.

A Group Nine spokesperson confirmed to Publishers Daily that employees are back at work today.

Slack and email access was returned to staffers.

The Thrillist unions says it has been negotiating a union contract for more than a year. Members are demanding minimum salaries for all employees of $50,000 and guaranteed yearly raises, according to Ad Age. Group Nine previously presented a contract offer with minimum salaries of $40,500.

Group Nine’s official statement on the matter: “We support our employees’ decision to organize and have been working with them in good faith to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement.”

Group Nine Media also owns The Dodo, NowThis, Seeker and Jash.