• by Ray Schultz , March 23, 2023

Hundreds of Hearst Magazine employees walked off the job on Thursday to demand a fair union contract prior to the last scheduled day of negotiations on March 28. 

The employees are members of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). 

The union held walkouts and rallies at Hearst Tower in Manhattan, NY, and at Hearst offices in Easton, PA, Ann Arbor, MI, and Birmingham, AL.

 “For two years Hearst has stalled, low-balled, and refused to bargain with us,” said Zach Lennon-Simon, of Delish, in Hearst’s New York office said.” Today we're walking out because we'd like to remind Hearst what they are without our labor: nothing but a name.” 

Joey Capparella, of Car and Driver from  Hearst’s Ann Arbor, Michigan office, argued, "We're walking out today because more than two years is too long to wait for a fair union contract.” 

Capparella added, “We need to show Hearst management that our members care about higher salary minimums, better severance protections, diversity in our hiring practices, and the right to have a union representative present in meetings about harassment—all of which are items that management refuses to agree on."

Jennifer Leman, of the Enthusiast Group, Pennsylvania office, said, “So many of us pour our heart and soul into these brands—they don’t call us the Enthusiast Group for nothing—and we’re simply asking for that work to be fairly compensated.”

Earlier this week, Hearst issued a statement to Deadline, saying, “We are committed to fostering a workplace where all employees feel supported. We’ve reached agreement on important issues and look forward to continuing to bargain in good faith and finalizing this process with a fair contract. Negotiations resume next week and we have offered future meeting dates.”