Why Newsrooms are Unionizing Now
When Gawker employees voted to unionize back in 2015, it was the first major news site to take that step. The now-defunct outlet’s move sparked a movement, with a wave of unionization taking place at both legacy and digital newsrooms across the country.
This surge comes as a bright spot in a labor movement that has been declining for decades—and as the media industry is in crisis. Labor’s supporters say the industry’s volatility began long before the surge of organizing, and that unionization actually improves publications. Journalists are saying “yes” to unions to lift salary floors, win or improve basic benefits, and provide some cushion during a time of uncertainty.
Some outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters cover markets extremely closely through terminals aimed at professional traders and others in financial and media circles. But what we are doing is unusual, providing live coverage of mainland and Hong Kong markets for average readers who want to understand more as they make investment decisions.
