Tina Fey, Michelle Wolf and Samantha Bee are among more than 300 names voicing support for a new unionization contract for Slate and Thrillist employees.
A seven-page signed petition was delivered to both media companies’ management teams on Monday on behalf of the Writers Guild of America, the union announced. It represents writers in motion pictures, television, news and digital media.
The petition urges the companies’ management to agree to union contracts that include livable salary minimums, fair raises, quality benefits and union security for its employees.
“There is a long history of unionization across American media and entertainment industries because creative professionals deserve a seat at the table to negotiate just working conditions, livable salary minimums, fair raises, quality benefits and union security,” the petition states. “We therefore call on Slate and Thrillist management to settle these contracts without further delay.”
Beau Willimon, the president of the WGA East and the creator of the Netflix series “House of Cards,” hand-delivered the petition to Thrillist’s management during a bargaining session, according to the WGA.
A representative for Slate declined to comment when reached by HuffPost on Tuesday. A representative for Thrillist did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Slate is owned by the Graham Holdings Co., and Thrillist is owned by Group Nine Media.
Included on the petition were signatures from Anthony Atamanuik, Michael Arndt, Robert Carlock, J.C. Chandor, Tom Fontana, Chris Gethard, Tony Gilroy, Jon Glaser, Paul Haggis, Phil Johnston, Richard LaGravenese, Warren Leight, David Mandel, Franchesca Ramsey, Michael Rauch, John Sayles, James Schamus, David Simon, Robin Thede and Michael Weber.
Thrillist voted to unionize in 2017. Slate unionized in January.
The labor union represents digital-first editorial and video staffs at HuffPost, Vox Media, Onion Inc., Vice, Fast Company, The Dodo, The Intercept, ThinkProgress, MTV News, Salon and Gizmodo Media Group.
HuffPost’s union joined several others in encouraging the contracts on Twitter.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the last name of Robin Thede.