Writers at the online magazine Slate have voted, 52-1 to authorize a strike and are considering walking out of their jobs.
Journalists at the liberal publication want higher pay, a more diverse workforce and management to back off its support for “right-to-work” policies, which prohibit workers from being obligated to join or otherwise financially support a union as a condition of work.
“Today we’re announcing the results of our strike authorization vote,” the union tweeted through its official account @SlateUnion. “Last week, 100 percent of our bargaining unit voted and 98 percent chose to authorize a strike if necessary. We’re proud of this overwhelming representation of solidarity.”
[Opinion: Get a life, Slate, and learn to love dogs]
Slate’s writers voted 45-7 in January to form a union and are affiliated with the Writers’ Guild of America East. The union has been bargaining for a contract for 8 months.
The writers are angered over management’s insistence that individual workers be allowed to decide whether they back the union rather than having their dues automatically deducted.
“It has the potential to sow discord amongst its members. It is also, at heart, a union-busting measure. It is designed to dilute the power of unions,” SlateUnion tweeted in June.
A spokesperson for Slate.com’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
