{"id":329860,"date":"2021-08-25T01:03:04","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T22:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/anger-erupts-at-meredith-after-workers-stiffed-on-bonuses\/"},"modified":"2021-08-25T01:03:04","modified_gmt":"2021-08-24T22:03:04","slug":"anger-erupts-at-meredith-after-workers-stiffed-on-bonuses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/anger-erupts-at-meredith-after-workers-stiffed-on-bonuses\/","title":{"rendered":"#Anger erupts at Meredith after workers stiffed on bonuses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;<strong>#Anger erupts at Meredith after workers stiffed on bonuses<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n        <\/aside>\n<p>The boss of the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> giant that publishes People and Entertainment Weekly sparked a ruckus when he announced he was handing out a round of \u201cthank you\u201d bonuses to most employees \u2014 but meanwhile jilted a small group of unionized, rank-and-file workers, The Post has learned.<\/p>\n<p>Insiders said more than 200 unionized employees at Meredith \u2014 the publishing behemoth whose titles also include Better Homes &amp; Gardens, InStyle and Real Simple \u2014 are fuming because they aren\u2019t getting the $1,000, one-time cash bump, despite working long hours and taking on more work during the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>The uproar started on Aug. 10, when Chief Executive Tom Harty circulated an email to 3,200-odd staffers, thanking them for their hard work during the pandemic. Meredith said it was distributing $1,000 payouts to \u201celigible employees,\u201d with those who started working at the company after Jan. 1 getting $500.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am extremely proud of the way Meredith employees have stepped up during this transformational year,\u201d Harty said in an email leaked to The Post. \u201cWe could not achieve results without each and every person in this organization, that includes you.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"682\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-440.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=682\" alt=\"Tom Harty\" class=\"wp-image-19230221\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-440.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1023 1023w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-440.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=682 682w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-440.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-440.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\"\/><figcaption>Meredith CEO Tom Harty was the target of over 60 angry emails and a letter from the Meredith Union, after he excluded unionized employees from receiving a $1,000 bonus. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">FilmMagic<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Nevertheless, insiders said it quickly became clear that the bonuses weren\u2019t for each and every person, and that \u201celigible employees\u201d didn\u2019t include those who were part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> Guild of New York. About 200 unionized workers at People, Entertainment Weekly, Martha Stewart Living and Shape were shortchanged, sources said.<\/p>\n<p>Soon after, sources said angry unionized workers including entry-to-mid-level editors, writers and researchers across Meredith\u2019s publications called an impromptu meeting on Zoom. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt felt like a slap in the face,\u201d one longtime employee complained on the call, which was attended by about a dozen staffers, according to a source. \u201cThe email was basically an F-you from Tom Harty,\u201d another employee griped.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In response, the company\u2019s union fired off an email to Harty and top brass, copying hundreds of staffers and prompting upwards of 60 replies from miffed employees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTom Harty, your $1,000 wouldn\u2019t even pay my rent,\u201d one hacked-off worker wrote. Another added, \u201cIt\u2019s my opinion that $1,000 isn\u2019t enough, so to be denied even that amount is beyond insulting.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-436.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Meredith sign\" class=\"wp-image-19230183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-436.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-436.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-436.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Meredith excluded 200-odd unionized employees from receiving a $1000 one-time bonus.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cMeredith\u00a0values the contributions of all of our team members,\u201d a spokeswoman for Meredith said. \u201cUnion members choose to have a representative bargain with the company over their compensation, including bonuses and time off, and those negotiations are starting shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The bonus battle is the latest in a tense back and forth between Meredith\u2019s top brass and employees who formed a union with the News Guild of New York. According to one source, Meredith\u2019s top brass has punished unionized employees by withholding summer Fridays like their non-unionized colleagues. <\/p>\n<p>After Harty\u2019s email, sources said Meredith\u2019s senior vice president of human resources followed up, telling union employees they weren\u2019t getting the bonus because contract negotiations were underway.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the status quo at Meredith to blame union,\u201d sniffed a staffer, who said that corporate has used contract negotiations as an excuse over the years for not giving promotions or raises. <\/p>\n<p>Meredith, based in Des Moines, Iowa, inherited five unionized magazines in its $2.8 billion takeover of Time Inc. in January 2018. It subsequently sold off Time, Fortune, Sports Illustrated and Money, leaving People\u2019s print magazine as its only unionized publication. Two years later, the editorial staff Meredith\u2019s Entertainment Weekly, Martha Stewart Living, Shape and People\u2019s TV and digital unit all followed suit opting to also be represented by the News Guild of New York. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-439.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Workers prepare to cover up the Time Inc. signage with Meredith Corporation signage at the Time Inc. office building in Lower Manhattan, January 31, 2018 in New York City.\" class=\"wp-image-19230311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-439.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-439.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-439.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Meredith acquired People Magazine publisher Time Inc. for $2.8 billion in 2018. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s the first time the union is bargaining with Meredith, as the prior contract was under Time Inc. <\/p>\n<p>Meredith\u2019s stock, meanwhile, is up more than 200 percent over the past year, compared to a 30 percent gain for the broader market, helped by the company\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/meredith.mediaroom.com\/2021-05-03-Meredith-Corporation-To-Sell-Local-Media-Group-For-2-7-Billion,-Focus-Exclusively-On-Leading-Portfolio-Of-National-Brands\">$2.7 billion deal in May to sell its local broadcasting business<\/a> to Gray Television in order to focus on its digital and magazine unit.   <\/p>\n<p>Harty himself raked in more than $7.2 million in total compensation last year, according to government filings. His base salary was knocked down slightly in the wake of the pandemic \u2014 from $1 million in 2019 to $966,616 last year.<\/p>\n<p>The average take-home pay for a News Guild-represented Meredith employee is $71,000 according to the union.\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/08\/24\/anger-erupts-at-meredith-after-workers-stiffed-on-bonuses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Anger erupts at Meredith after workers stiffed on bonuses&#8221; The boss of the media giant that publishes People and Entertainment Weekly sparked a ruckus when he announced he was handing out a round of \u201cthank you\u201d bonuses to most employees \u2014 but meanwhile jilted a small group of unionized, rank-and-file workers, The Post has learned&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":329861,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/08\/meredith-skips-unionized-bonuses-441.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[7309,114758,77583,73854,4934,52767,80139],"class_list":["post-329860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-unions","tag-8-24-21","tag-bonuses","tag-digital-publishing","tag-magazines","tag-meredith","tag-people-magazine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=329860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329860\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/329861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=329860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=329860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=329860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}