Why We’re Walking Out

 

TIME Union has been at the bargaining table for nearly three years negotiating our first contract to cover all print, digital and TIME for Kids employees. Three years is an unacceptable amount of time for our members to have worked without the security of a union contract. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to get this contract done. 

Yesterday we sent a letter to TIME management stating that the members of the TIME Union have pledged to walk out for one day on May 23, unless management agrees to a complete contract with us before that date. 

The main pillars of our fight have been for:

  • Fair wages that value our work and guaranteed yearly increases that keep our salaries from shrinking year after year. 

  • The ability to do good journalism without fear of discipline solely for not meeting metrics outside of our control.

  • Strong contract protections for everyone in our unit who works to make TIME iconic. 

Readers and supporters can help us by signing our petition to ask TIME management to agree to a fair contract before May 23. We’ve cleared our schedules and are ready to bargain. We’re ready to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract for all.

We’re going to escalate until we get the contract we’re fighting for. Keep up to date with the actions we’re taking: 

May 9, 2022: We sent a letter to management with three pages of signatures from members of our union that explains our intent to strike and our demands for the next couple of weeks. You can read that letter HERE. We introduced a public petition for readers, subscribers, and supporters to help us send management a message. You can sign on to that petition HERE.

You can also read our press release HERE.

May 10, 2022: TIME management responded to our letter stating they had "disagreement concerning the May 23 deadline." Management stressed that TIME 100 is critical to TIME’s success, & claimed that striking on that day would be a harmful act for TIME. We stressed that TIME employees are critical to TIME’s success and that three years without a contract has been harmful to TIME workers.

What we're doing is working. Management agreed to expedite bargaining but our plans haven't changed. We're committed to fighting for a strong contract and believe we can reach an agreement by the 23rd. If not, we walk out.