BuzzFeed Journalists Vote to Unionize After Layoffs

BuzzFeed journalists have voted to unionize and plan to inform management as soon as Wednesday. In a statement Tuesday night, the newsroom confirmed U.S. employees were forming a union to join NewsGuild, a union that is part of the Communications Workers of America. “We believe in this company, and in our management, even though they've fucked up a few times,” the statement read. “BuzzFeed recently laid off about 15% of its workforce and it was, uh, not handled great... We demand that BuzzFeed News recognizes our union immediately so that we swiftly reach a mutually satisfying contract that lets us focus on the important work of reporting on Cardi B memes and breaking the biggest stories in the country.” The decision comes after BuzzFeed slashed its newsroom by 15 percent and completely gutted certain departments, like the national security desk and the national desk. In 2015, BuzzFeed founder Jonah Peretti reportedly told employees that a union was not necessary for the website, saying “I don’t think a union is right for BuzzFeed.”