Snopes union voluntarily recognized by management
After 31 years, the Internet’s oldest fact-checking organization has a union.
Rated true: The internet’s oldest dedicated fact-checking organization officially has a union.
Per workers’ request, management at Snopes voluntarily recognized Snopes Guild on July 15, a day after the guild’s deadline for recognition and 15 days since the union went public. Approximately 10 editorial staffers are represented by the union, which is a part of Media Guild West, and 80% of eligible workers voted in favor of union representation.
“We welcome management’s decision to voluntarily recognize the Snopes Guild,” the Snopes Guild organizing committee said in a press release. “This is a great step toward creating a fairer workplace for all and we appreciate management’s willingness to engage with us. We look forward to meeting them at the bargaining table.”
Related: Snopes, the Internet’s oldest dedicated fact-checking organization, announces intent to unionize
The union went public on June 30, and its recognition comes in the wake of a 2022 changing of the guard after the 31-year-old organization underwent legal turmoil in the latter half of the last decade. Former Salon owners and tech entrepreneurs Chris Richmond and Drew Schoentrup are still Snopes’ CEO and CFO, respectively, after first acquiring a 50% share in the company with a small group in 2016.
While Richmond said via email he was surprised by the unionization request, “I support the team and I want them to feel secure in their jobs.”
“I agreed to voluntarily recognize the union, and I hope to reach an agreement that is fair to all parties and supports the long-term success of Snopes,” he added. “Misinformation continues to run rampant, and we need to stay united internally as we take on such a monumental challenge.”
Snopes joins the small but growing ranks of non-profit newsroom staff choosing to unionize, ranging from larger organizations like ProPublica and Reveal-CIR to smaller outlets like Cityside, The San Antonio Report, and The American Indpendent.
While several newsrooms with fact-checking units are unionized, like the Associated Press, Snopes may be unique. “We are probably among the first who are just a dedicated fact-checking organization,” Nur Ibrahim, a Snopes reporter and guild member, told The Objective when the union went public.
Snopes Guild will now enter the collective bargaining process to negotiate its first contract with Snopes management, and looks to codify protections around job security, transparency, work practices, and fair compensation.
James Salanga is the co-director of The Objective and the podcast producer for The Sick Times.
This story was edited by Gabe Schneider.
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