Editorial workers at Forbes, for first time in the publication’s 106-year history, walked out on the job Thursday morning through Monday, in protest of a standoff between management and their union.
Established with the NewsGuild of New York in 2021, the union said it is standing up against management’s pursuits to union-bust and delay contract negotiations.
“They are dragging their feet and slow-walking this whole process,” said Forbes Union chair Andrea Murphy, statistics editor for the company. “We’re hoping that (the strike) shows them that we are serious.”
“We are taking this unprecedented step to show that we will not allow such disrespectful behavior towards our negotiations to continue,” according to the statement from the union.
Forbes acknowledged the walkout, stating, “We are working diligently with the guild to reach a collective bargaining agreement. We are disappointed by the Union’s decision to stage a walkout, but respect their right to take this action.”
This walkout is part of a extensive trend where strikes and work stoppages have become more widespread in union negotiation strategies within newsrooms. Similar steps have been taken by unionized staff at Condé Nast brands, including Vogue, GQ, and Vanity Fair, as well as at the Los Angeles Times in protest of job cuts.
Over the past two years, various media organizations, including Gannett, Insider, G/O Media, Ziff Davis, Wirecutter, the Miami Herald, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Palm Springs Desert Sun, Washington Post, NBC News, and others, have witnessed strikes or walkouts by their unions.
Sara Fischer, Senior Media Reporter at Axios and Media Analyst at CNN, also tweeted inside scoops about NY Daily News walking out today as well and how it is going to be a crazy news union day.
