After hitting the streets earlier this month for a series of walkouts against their employer, unionized staffers at Hearst Magazines have managed to reach a deal with management.
The Writers Guild of America East, which represented the 410-member bargaining unit at Hearst, announced the new three-year agreement on Monday. Per the guild, the tentative deal was reached on February 13, and it was recently ratified by members with 98% approval.
“We made many important gains—better raises, higher wage floors, and an improved 401k match—for members of our unit with this contract,” the bargaining committee said in a joint statement. “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.”
The new contract establishes 2%-3% raises, which are applied retroactively beginning January 1, 2026, as well as an 11.8% increase in the salary minimum for the lowest tier to $62,400 in every location. The staff union also earned improved severance protections and 401(k) and retirement benefits. Additionally, the contract will not expire until April 29, 2029, which the guild says creates “a more favorable bargaining timeline.”
This is the second bargaining cycle after Hearst staff first gained union recognition in July 2020 and ratified its first collective bargaining agreement in May 2023. They also staged walkouts during the contentious years-long contract talks, which ultimately resulted in what was termed a “landmark” first contract deal with Hearst Magazine Media that was ratified that spring.
In November 2024, WGA East took aim at Hearst management after a round of layoffs, calling the company “consistently anti-union.”
In a statement of her own, Sara David, VP of the WGAE’s Online Media Sector added: “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.”
Hearst is home to 25 brands in the U.S. including Elle, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, and Town & Country.
In addition to Hearst, 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.
English (US) ·