The labor organization behind Kotaku, GMG Union, just announced a victory in its recent struggle with G/O Media. GMG Union has been on strike over a dispute concerning wages and working conditions for the better part of this past week. In addition to Kotaku, GMG Union represents various properties of G/O Media including Jalopnik, Lifehacker, and Gizmodo.
“As of March 1, GMG Union is officially on strike,” the organization announced last week. “We're asking people not to click on or contribute content to Gizmodo, Jalopnik, Jezebel, Kotaku, Lifehacker, and The Root.”
The reasons for the strike were multiple. “My colleagues and I at Kotaku and across our sister sites are on strike starting today following management's refusals to budge on a number of issues including bad pay and anti-trans health benefits,” Senior Reporter at Kotaku Ethan Gach pointed out. The demands made by GMG Union included salary minimums and healthcare coverage compliant with the standards laid out by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
“After four days of picketing in the first open-ended strike by a digital media shop, G/O Media management has acknowledged the strength and demands of our members,” the organization remarked. “The members of GMG Union have reached a tentative deal with management, pending a ratification vote by members.”
GMG Union received a lot of support from the public and raised a fairly significant strike fund. “We want to thank everyone who joined us on the picket line, our vocal supporters on social media, and those who gave to our GoFundMe. Your donations have ensured that none of our staffers and regular contractors had to lose a full paycheck to fight for a fair contract.”
The list of achievements in this labor struggle include “higher salary minimums for all positions” and “trans-inclusive healthcare” along with a three percent annual raise, 15 weeks of parental leave, 12 weeks of severance, greater workplace diversity, stronger editorial independence, and guarantees against forced relocation.
This takes place within the context of an ongoing movement aimed at unionizing the games industry. Workers at Activision Blizzard in particular have been banding together to fight back against management. These efforts began to ramp up when the news about sexual harassment and workplace misconduct at the company broke towards the end of last year.