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BY: Bill McMorris

One of the largest liberal media companies in the country is buzzing with unionized workers.

Vox Media saw workers organizing an hour-long strike in May to protest the slow pace of contract negotiations. She is now facing the prospect of a strike if she fails to reach an agreement. Thursday, the deadline for negotiations, the union announced that the "members are"do not report to work today until we resolve"Disputes over wages, severance pay and outsourcing contracts." Workers also posted a photo on Twitter showing their solidarity and clearly indicating to people who might become grazers that they should think twice. before crossing a picket line.

The Vox Union, which is part of the Writers Guild East, declined the invitation to an interview. Vox Media, owner of Vox.com and several other media sites, did not respond to requests for comment.

The conflict took on a new intensity when a study found that Vox Media's job offerings had changed dramatically for outsourced or part-time workers after the company had started to work. recognize the union in January 2018. These workers do not come under union representation.

"The same day that Vox Media workers announced their intention to join a union, ie on November 17, 2017, the company virtually closed the door on recruiting workers to join the union. full time, "the study revealed. The company's management challenged the finding, stating that "the removal of vacancies on our website is not a sufficient measure of full-time hiring over part-time roles and / or contractual roles".

Vox.com, the company's flagship website, launched in April 2014 to help explain the news with the help of infographics and graphics set up by "the smartest thinkers" and posing "the most difficult questions". Since then, it has become one of the most visited media websites in America and has attracted tens of millions of dollars from investors. Workers are demanding more generous severance pay in case of layoff, as well as wage increases related to inflation.

"Our current merit-based system involves incoherent wage increases, which must change, with guaranteed increases corresponding to inflation, to ensure that Vox Media can maintain a reasonable living wage as the cost of life is increasing, "said the union on Vox Media. Wednesday.

The conflict is a surprise because the publication praised the organized work. The founder and editor of Vox.com, Ezra Klein, said that unions and collective bargaining are the only way to prevent capitalism from imploding because of inequities.

"Bargaining power is a crucial mediator in capitalism, and workers often end up with too little – and if this imbalance persists, the entire system is in danger," Klein wrote. "They have [unions] often saved capitalism from itself, despite the objections of the capitalists. "

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