WGA East Members at Hearst Magazines Ratify Second Union Contract
NEW YORK, NY (February 23, 2026) – Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members at Hearst Magazines and management reached a deal on their second three-year collective bargaining agreement. The contract was overwhelmingly ratified with 98% approval by the 410-member bargaining unit.
The contract establishes 2%-3% raises, the 2026 raise applying retroactively to January 1, 2026, and increases salary minimums in the lowest tier by 11.8% to $62,400 in every location. Other highlights include improved severance protections, and improved 401(k) and retirement benefits, with the company providing a 100% match on the first 3% of employee 401(k) contributions. The new contract expires April 29, 2029, establishing a more favorable bargaining timeline.
The Hearst Magazines Union bargaining committee said, “We made many important gains—better raises, higher wage floors, and an improved 401k match—for members of our unit with this contract. We also know there is still a great deal of work to be done to make Hearst Magazines a place we can all be proud of. We hope this ratification sends a clear message to management that we are only getting stronger and more cohesive as time goes on, and that we will always fight for a more equitable workplace.”
Sara David, VP of the WGAE’s Online Media Sector said, “Hearst management consistently underestimated the solidarity of the Hearst Magazines Union. While this contract is a step forward, our members are clear-eyed that there is still more to fight for: meaningful AI protections, flexible remote work policies, and wages that reflect their contributions to the $13.5 billion in profits Hearst boasted last year. We are proud of this membership, and Hearst should understand that this ratification is not complacency — it’s a starting point for the next negotiations.”
The tentative agreement was reached on Friday, February 13, 2026.
Hearst won union recognition in July 2020 and ratified its first collective bargaining agreement in May 2023 following escalations including multiple Unfair Labor Practice charges, worker-led walkouts and a rally at Hearst Tower. This hard-fought second contract was won after facing similar resistance from Hearst management. Members delivered a strike pledge signed by 85% of the unit, participated in walkouts and rallies across Manhattan, NY, and at Hearst offices in Los Angeles, CA, Easton, PA, Ann Arbor, MI and Birmingham, AL, and agreed to bargain past the contract’s January 31, 2026 expiration date.
The Hearst Magazines Union includes Hearst Magazine publications Autoweek, Best Products, Bicycling, Car and Driver, Cosmopolitan, Country Living, Delish, ELLE, ELLE Decor, Esquire, Food Network Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Harper’s Bazaar, HGTV Magazine, HOT ROD, House Beautiful, Men’s Health, MotorTrend, Oprah Daily, The Pioneer Woman, Popular Mechanics, Prevention, Road & Track, Runner’s World, Seventeen, Town & Country, Veranda, Woman’s Day, and Women’s Health.
In addition to Hearst Magazines, 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, 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.
