Ahead of Met Gala, Condé Nast employees threaten to strike

Condé Nast employees have issued a stern ultimatum, threatening to stage a strike over job losses, just days ahead of the Met Gala. In impassioned videos shared online, staffers express frustration with management's proposed layoffs and contentious contract terms, including a proposed minimum salary that is deemed inadequate.

With negotiations for their inaugural contract dragging, members of the Condé Union, representing workers across renowned brands like Vogue and GQ, are prepared to take decisive action to secure fair employment terms, the union’s organising body NewsGuild of New York said. Despite ongoing efforts, progress at the bargaining table has been sluggish, prompting mounting discontent among the workforce.

Condé Union – which also represents workers at brands such as Allure, Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Epicurious, Glamour, Self, Teen Vogue, Vanity Fair, Them, and Condé Nast Entertainment – has been bargaining its first contract since certification in September 2022. The union is part of the NewsGuild of New York, the labour union representing nearly 6,000 media workers.

Condé Nast management announced on November 1st its plans to lay off 5 percent of its workforce. The company then proposed laying off 94 Condé Union members, or 17 percent of the union. The Guild has the legal right to negotiate the layoffs as part of a completed contract.

“Our members are committed to getting this contract,” said Susan DeCarava, President of the NewsGuild of New York. “They will not settle for anything less than a deal that honors the value they bring and their contributions to Condé’s success.”