BuzzFeed News Employees Walk Out, Demand Union Recognition

Employees at BuzzFeed News walked out of the newsroom on June 17 and rallied outside the publication's New York office to demand union recognition.

Four months ago, BuzzFeed Editor in Chief Ben Smith claimed management looked forward to meeting with organizers "to discuss a way toward voluntarily recognizing their union."

Instead, management has refused to recognize the bargaining unit that employees have proposed, and is pushing for a far narrower scope of eligibility for the union.

BuzzFeed employees were joined at the rally by NewsGuild members at the New York Times, New Republic, Reuters, Law360, Ziff Davis Creators Guild and others, as well as Scabby, the inflatable rat that is a fixture at labor rallies in and around the city. Walkouts were also held at BuzzFeed's offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

Employees at BuzzFeed News walked out of the newsroom on June 17 and rallied outside the publication's New York office to demand union recognition.