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Breaking news, press releases and statements from the Writers Guild of America, East

Friday December 17, 2021

VICE and Writers Guild of America, East Reach Landmark New Contract

NEW YORK, NY (December 17, 2021) – VICE Media has agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) that consolidates the company’s four previous union contracts into one landmark agreement. The new 3-year collective bargaining agreement was ratified by VICE’s 160 member bargaining unit.

Previously, the WGAE had four contracts at VICE representing four main editorial verticals: VICELAND, VICE News, VICE Digital, and VICE Editorial. The new agreement sees all four units working under one Guild contract with the minimum salaries set to go up to $63,000 by the end of the contract, and with all unit members receiving minimum yearly raises ranging from 3% – 3.75%.

The VICE Bargaining Committee said, “The VICE Union is stronger than ever, and is proud of our members for coming together and fighting for our third and best contract yet.” 

The VICE-WGAE collective bargaining agreement codifies workplace benefits and protections from their four previous contracts, and also includes:

  • Retention bonus of $1000 for anyone on payroll at ratification and on 1/1/23 to be paid out first payroll after 1/1/23; 
  • No Non-Disclosure Agreements around sexual harassment complaints;
  • Cybersecurity and harassment protections including for laid off employees up to 1 year; VICE will also provide safe housing/security measures for employees at recommendation of security team
  • Increased severance terms with guaranteed severance of up to 18 weeks;
  • New successor language in the contract;
  • All non-VICE payrolled employees offered a pathway to full time employment after 12 month period
  • Contributions of the employer to the employee health flex plan for non-VICE payrolled employees go up to $22/day over the life of the contract.

Lowell Peterson, Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America, East, added, “Thanks to a unified and strong union, workers across VICE will now work under one collective bargaining agreement. This new contract and its substantial gains are a testament to the VICE bargaining committee’s diligent efforts to address the concerns and aspirations of workers at a company that continue to grow within the ever-shifting media landscape.”

The Writers Guild of America, East represents nearly 7,000 writers in film, television, news (broadcast and digital), and podcasts. In addition to VICE, the WGAE represents newsrooms at 1010 WINS, ABC News, Audacy (WCBS-AM, WBBM-AM, KNX-AM), Bustle Digital Group, CBS News, CBSN, Chalkbeat, Committee to Protect Journalists, The Dodo, Fast Company, Fox 5 WNYW-TV, FT Specialist, Future Plc, Gizmodo Media Group, Hearst Magazines, HuffPost, Inc., The Intercept Jewish Currents, MSNBC, MTV News, NowThis, Onion Inc., Refinery29, Salon, Slate, Talking Points Memo, Thirteen Productions (Thirteen/WNET), Thrillist, Vox Media and WBBM-CBS 2 News.

ABOUT WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, EAST
The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in film, television, news and new 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.

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