Univision, which continues to restructure its operations as it seeks to cut costs, will be slashing jobs at its Gizmodo Media Group (GMG) division.
The media company will trim about 15% of Gizmodo’s editorial team, affecting staffers at former Gawker Media websites Deadspin and Jezebel, according to Bloomberg.
The buyouts would avoid another possible round of layoffs.
A Writers Guild of America spokesperson states that the GMG Union negotiated the terms of the employee buyouts with Univision and issued the following statement to Media Moves:
“The buyout agreement was a demand made by the Gizmodo Media Group Union after our members voted overwhelmingly that any cuts affecting editorial operations should be negotiated with our bargaining committee. The final package was the result of months of member-led organizing and negotiations with UCI about the circumstances, terms, and length of severance for our members. The GMG Union and Writers Guild of America, East are glad to have reached an agreement with the company, and believe other union news rooms should fight for the same.”
A spokesperson for GMG said the company will not comment until the buyout process is over.
Gawker Media employees unionized prior to Univision’s acquisition in August 2016. Fusion editorial staffers sought and won union representation in 2016.
The GMG union and WGAE bargained on behalf of about 200 members for months. Earlier this year, Raju Narisetti stepped down as Gizmodo CEO and Fusion execs Felipe Holguín and Daniel Eilemberg were pushed out as Univision executed a round of layoffs across several business units, including its digital division.