• by Ray Schultz , January 30, 2025

Union workers at New York magazine are vowing to walk out unless they are given a new contract with strong AI protections. The two sides have been negotiating for almost a year. 

The New York Magazine Union, which represents around 150 editorial staffers, sent a strike warning on Thursday to Jim Bankoff, chief executive of New York parent Vox Media, Pam Wasserstein, vice chair, and David Haskell, editor in chief of New York.

Union members include writers, editors, fact checkers, copy editors, photo editors, designers, and other editorial staffers at the magazine.

“During a turbulent time in the industry, Vox Media has a chance to step up and stake out some stability for New York Magazine, which would seemingly be in line with the values of its leaders,” says Bridget Read, unit chair of the New York Magazine Union. “Instead, the company is refusing to give us a contract that meets the basic needs of our unit.

AI protections are especially critical, given Vox Media’s arrangement with OpenAI, the union states. 

Last May, Vox signed a deal allowing OpenAI, to enhance its technology with Vox Media’s archives.

At the time, Bankoff said Vox hopes to use generative AI to “innovate for our audiences and customers, protect and grow the value of our work and intellectual property, and boost productivity and discoverability to elevate the talent and creativity of our exceptional journalists and creators.” 

However, the union charges that Vox executives have refused to discuss any details of the deal and have not agreed to any language that would protect jobs. 

“The company has refused to tell us where that money is going, but we can say with confidence based on the company’s paltry wage offers that the money is not going to the employees who produce the work that made that deal valuable in the first place,” says Reeves Wiedeman, vice chair of the New York Magazine Union.