Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Union Journalists at Forbes Win First Contract with Editorial Integrity and Job Security Protections

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Unionized editorial staff at Forbes, represented by The NewsGuild of New York (an affiliate of The NewsGuild-CWA), ratified their first contract, the culmination of a more than four-year fight since organizing in 2021. The deal sets strong editorial integrity protections, a new salary floor, gold-standard job security protections and more.

Forbes Union, which represents nearly 90 reporters, photo and video editors, ratified the three-year contract on Sept. 1. 

“We refused to accept any deal that didn’t honor the value we bring every day to Forbes,” said Andrea Murphy, unit chair and statistics editor for Forbes. “This contract is the direct result of our union’s perseverance and solidarity.” 

Highlights from the deal include: Raises of 4%, 3% and 3% in each successive year of the contract; a $2,500 ratification bonus; a new $68,500 wage floor; salary minimums; gold-standard “just cause” job security protections; a one-year recall period for members who are laid off; a pathway to full-time employment for temps; and strong editorial integrity protections.