Incredibly sad to see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump_(WMF)#h-Recent_questions_about_the_Foundation_and_US_unionization_request-20260727160700. Wikimedia Foundation employees deserve better than a statement that attempts to mislead them. https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2026/07/27/statement-cwa-recognition-request/ is full of unionbusting rhetoric. The WMF should be better than that and not be using the same tactics as Amazon.
Only recognizing your employee's right to unionize when you are legally forced to is not being neutral about unions and it definitely isn't being supportive. I'd like to quote a statement from Femke in the above discussion: Today was a day to show trust in staff. Because trust is what we will need in the years ahead, which are likely going to be as chaotic as the last couple of years if not more so. The framing in this letter does not convince me the Foundation leadership is neutral in this matter. A small example: rather than acknowledging the WWU effort to build a global union (or network of bargaining units), the text focuses on the CWA, which cannot represent global staff, seemingly to diminish international support: It is important to note that the CWA is only seeking to represent a portion of US-based staff, and there is no global union option due to different labor laws across countries and jurisdictions. Also note how the text emphasises the 'portion of', which is technically correct as US labour law exclude managers, but downplays the role of the union in representing most workers. The FAQ emphases what leadership calls 'good working conditions'. The listing of benefits tries to convince staff that all is well and that unions might not be necessary. What the text fails to mention is that these are not contractual and can be changed unilaterally. In tumultuous times, we need staff that has the security of actual 'secondary labour conditions' as we call them in the Netherlands. The 'benefits' are especially questionable when the "generous" 15-day holiday allowance would be illegal in every single EU country <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minimum_annual_leave_by_country>. Today was a day to show trust in staff. Instead, we've started a rough road of persuasion and spin. Fortunately, as a movement, we are exceptionally well trained to recognise this. I'm confident staff will prevail.
_______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- [email protected], guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/message/WVL3VU4IPZKXDGVVXWV6VNVJOHN4COOO/ To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
