Scientific American Unionizes with WGA East, Demands Voluntary Recognition
NEW YORK (April 13, 2026) – The reporters, editors, producers, and other professionals involved in producing a successful print and digital product at Scientific American unionized with the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) for the purpose of collective bargaining.
Scientific American’s approximately 40-member bargaining unit has called on Springer Nature management to voluntarily recognize their union, without delay or division. An overwhelming majority of the unit signed union cards and asked management to recognize the union on Monday, April 13.
In a “Why We’re Organizing” letter to management, the SciAm Union wrote:
“We, the employees of Scientific American, are excited to share that we are unionizing with the Writers Guild of America East. We are the reporters, editors, producers, designers and other professionals involved in producing a successful print and digital product. Our journalism reaches millions of readers, listeners and viewers, and we take pride in the vital role we play in communicating scientific discovery to the public. To sustain this work and the impact it has for our audience, we request voluntary recognition of our union.
For more than 180 years, Scientific American has been a trusted source of rigorous, exciting, accessible science journalism. Our commitment to upholding the publication’s legacy is what drives us to organize, strengthening that mission for the future. By forming a union, we aim to create a transparent, equitable and collaborative framework for addressing workplace issues. These issues include compensation, workload, job security, editorial independence and career development. We also intend to establish clear expectations and protections around workplace conduct, respect and professional boundaries. We believe these measures are essential not only to ensure the well-being of employees but also to maintain the quality, credibility and impact of our journalism.
Our decision to unionize reflects a broader movement across journalism and publishing. Staff at comparable organizations—including Wired, The Atlantic, Live Science and Science News—already have union representation and collective bargaining agreements. So do a significant portion of employees at Springer Nature, Scientific American’s owner. These partnerships show that unions and management can collaborate productively to sustain high-quality journalism in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Just as mitochondria power the cell (a concept famously coined in our pages), we power this historic institution. In an era when clear, accurate information is more important than ever, our work helps make scientific findings understandable, supports informed decision-making and contributes to social progress. We believe that a strong, supported staff is paramount to continuing this work at the highest level.
We request voluntary recognition because the overwhelming majority of employees in the bargaining unit have indicated their support for union representation. Voluntary recognition is a constructive and efficient path forward. It reflects respect for employees’ voices and allows us to begin good-faith negotiations without delay.
Our union is committed to working collaboratively with Springer Nature leadership to ensure a smooth and respectful process, and we look forward to supporting the continued strength, independence and impact of Scientific American so it can thrive for another 180 years.
We respectfully request a timely response.”
In addition to Scientific American, the WGA East’s Online Media Sector includes Bustle Digital Group, Civic News Group, Committee to Protect Journalists, Fast Company & Inc., Financial Times Specialist, Future PLC, Gizmodo Media USA, Jalopnik at Static Media, Hearst Magazines, HuffPost, Jewish Currents, NowThis, Onion Inc., Salon, Slate, Talking Points Memo, The Intercept, The Root, Vox Media and VICE.
ABOUT THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA EAST
The Writers Guild of America East, AFL-CIO, is a labor union of more than 7,500 members working in film, television, news, podcasts and online media. The Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members; conducts programs, seminars and events on issues of interest to writers; and presents writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America East, visit wgaeast.org.
