Union workers at Hearst fight for a fair contract

With a contract expiration date looming, media workers at Hearst magazines are ready to strike if needed to secure a strong collective bargaining agreement

NEW YORK, NY (January 30, 2026) — Quality, human-made media is harder and harder to find these days. But nonetheless, union media workers are still producing essential stories at publications across the U.S., and bargaining for contracts that protect — and adequately compensate them — for their work. Right now, workers at Hearst publications represented by the Writers Guild of America East are in contract talks to secure a new collective bargaining agreement. With their current contract agreement expiring January 31, workers announced yesterday that they have delivered a strike pledge to management, with more than 85% of their membership signing on. Now, the workers are asking the public to help pressure management to bargain in good faith.

Hearst Magazines is a massive media company, with dozens of magazines, websites, and other media publications under it’s umbrella. That includes household-name publications like Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Men’s Health, Motortrend, and more. Media workers are pushing for a contract that removes geographic wage differentials, ensures annual raises outpace inflation, provides remote-work flexibility, and puts up guardrails against reckless implementation of AI tools.

But getting the boss to the table to bargain has been an uphill battle.

From WGAE: “Unfortunately, the company has responded by failing to provide adequate bargaining dates and offering unacceptable counterproposals. So far, Hearst management has proposed lower raises than members received in their last contract, increased in-office expectations without any guarantees of flexibility, and offered absolutely no protections against AI. Not only is their refusal to regulate AI properly a bad business practice, it is also dangerous.”

Worker-centered AI regulations have become a central point in contract negotiations between writers’ unions and management in recent years. AI-generated content has the potential to mislead readers, drive down standards, push journalists out of the profession, and violate journalistic standards.

Here’s the full text of their letter to Hearst management:

I’m writing to express my support for the members of the Hearst Magazines Union with the Writers Guild of America East, and I urge you to agree to a fair contract before the current collective bargaining agreement expires on January 31st.

Hearst Media publications are known globally for their excellence, and Hearst Magazines Union members are the people who work tirelessly to build, maintain, and grow that reputation. They deserve a living wage, benefits, and job protections that reflect the same commitment to excellence that your workers show every day.

Right now, we’re facing a nationwide affordability crisis—people can barely afford groceries, let alone childcare or retirement—and escalating attacks on both workers’ rights and freedom of speech. Hearst’s union members deserve a contract that addresses the issues that are crucial for everyone to thrive in the workplace and live with dignity.

I fully support members of the Hearst Magazines Union in their fight for a fair contract and stand with them in their commitment to doing what is necessary to secure the protections they need and deserve, including a strike.

I call on you to agree to a fair and just contract for WGAE members at Hearst before January 31st.

TAKE A STAND: send a letter to Hearst management today in solidarity with WGAE members.