After more than a year of challenging negotiations, publishing giant Condé Nast has successfully reached a last-minute contract agreement with the labor union representing hundreds of staffers at publications such as Vogue, GQ, and Glamour. This agreement has averted a planned work stoppage just ahead of one of the biggest fashion and celebrity events of the year, the Met Gala.
The negotiations, which have been ongoing for months, centered around various issues such as wages, parental leave, and severance. Talks gained momentum last week after the union threatened to strike on Monday, a move that would have severely impacted the company’s coverage of the Met Gala.
Alma Avalle, a member of the Condé Union bargaining committee, likened the Met Gala to the Super Bowl of fashion and stated that the threat of a work stoppage forced the company to make concessions. For example, although the company had previously resisted expanding parental leave, they agreed last week to extend it from 12 to 14 weeks.
The new union contract, which is expected to be ratified this week, includes a $61,500 starting salary floor, the elimination of a two-tier health care system, just-cause protection, expanded bereavement leave, and $3.3 million in total wage increases.
Significantly, the contract also resolves the situation of approximately 100 laid-off Condé Nast staffers who had been in limbo for six months as the union negotiated their severance packages. These staffers will receive eight weeks of severance, three months of health insurance coverage, or a lump sum payment, and an additional $1,000 payment.
The union has been increasing pressure on the company for months, including a one-day walkout in January and a protest outside Anna Wintour's home in April. The threat of a strike ahead of the Met Gala was the final push needed to secure the contract agreement.
Both parties engaged in intense bargaining sessions since the strike pledge, with Avalle mentioning sessions lasting up to 16 hours a day. She described the agreement as bittersweet, as it also means the departure of colleagues on the layoff list, but expressed satisfaction in achieving as much as possible from the company.
Condé Nast's Chief People Officer, Stan Duncan, expressed contentment with the new contract, stating that it aligns with the company's core values, including content and journalism, diversity, professional development, hiring practices, and competitive wages and benefits.