WGA East Members at Hearst Magazines Ratify Second Union Contract

Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members at Hearst Magazines and management reached a deal on their second three-year collective bargaining agreement. The contract was overwhelmingly ratified with 98% approval by the 410-member bargaining unit.

The contract establishes 2%-3% raises, the 2026 raise applying retroactively to January 1, 2026, and increases salary minimums in the lowest tier by 11.8% to $62,400 in every location. Other highlights include improved severance protections, and improved 401(k) and retirement benefits, with the company providing a 100% match on the first 3% of employee 401(k) contributions.

Sara David, VP of the WGAE’s Online Media Sector said, “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 won union recognition in July 2020 and ratified its first collective bargaining agreement in May 2023 following escalations including multiple Unfair Labor Practice charges, worker-led walkouts and a rally at Hearst Tower. This hard-fought second contract was won after facing similar resistance from Hearst management. Members delivered a strike pledge signed by 85% of the unit, participated in walkouts and rallies across Manhattan, NY, and at Hearst offices in Los Angeles, CA, Easton, PA, Ann Arbor, MI and Birmingham, AL, and agreed to bargain past the contract’s January 31, 2026 expiration date. Read more here.