Buzzfeed don’t think union representation is good for employees

Journalists at Buzzfeed are in the process of forming a Union Chapel with around 80 editorial staff in their London office asking for representation under the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

While the NUJ insist that Buzzfeed’s staff “all enjoy working for Buzzfeed UK, and believe in building a sustainable business”, bosses at the online news brand are not happy with the move and want to “speak directly” to staff who are considering adopting union practices.

Jonah Peretti, Buzzfeed’s co-founder, said in a letter to staff: “In the past, I’ve said I don’t think a union is in the best interests of BuzzFeed or our employees.

“Unions represent employees around a rigid skillset that doesn’t reflect the fluid and flexible way we work, they introduce an extra layer of bureaucracy and process, and they unnecessarily divide our teams, limiting the many benefits of everyone being part of a venture backed tech company.

“Some outside activists have criticized my motives or my character but I want all of you to know that my top two priorities are serving 1) the public, and 2) the people who work at BuzzFeed.”

Peretti continued: “Before any decision is made, it is incredibly important to me that I have a direct line of communication with all of you, that I know about any concerns, complaints, or suggestions for improvement you have, and that we can speak openly and directly with each other.”

Peretti’s comments regarding union representation in a digital start-up environment may be  correct. However, Buzzfeed with projected revenues of $250 million for 2016, is moving beyond the position of “start-up” and becoming a staple of the mainstream news environment. With this level of business maturity comes a whole new set of challenges and this includes union representation for their journalists who will now be seeking the same kind of protections as their peers in the traditional news sector.

Is union representation good for Buzzfeed and its employees or will it impact negatively on the everyone within the organisation? Share your comments below: