Wikimedia and unions
Several organizations involved in the Wikimedia movement including volunteer editors, and staff of the US and UK affiliates of the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) have taken stances regarding unionization of WMF staff in 2026.
Background
The Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. is an American nonprofit organization headquartered in San Francisco, California[1] that employs 700 workers in 44 countries.[2] It is most known for hosting Wikipedia, one of the world's most visited websites. It also hosts 14 related open collaboration projects, and supports the development of MediaWiki, the wiki software that underpins them all.[3][4][5]
Organizing
Wiki Workers United formed in early 2026.[6]
On 24 June, United Kingdom WMF employees were the first country-based group to seek union recognition under the Wiki Workers United umbrella, with the support of the Communication Workers Union. The UK has the second highest number of staff, after the United States. The union drive came one month after WMF disbanded the Community Tech team,[7] not long after dismissing prominent union-supporter Brooke Vibber, one of the architects of the MediaWiki software.[6]
A month later, the United States staff launched their own voluntary union recognition from WMF. The labor union is supported by the Communications Workers of America. Over 1,190 volunteer editors signed a petition, pledging to go on a solidarity strike, should Wiki Workers United call for one.[8]
On 27 July, WMF declined to voluntarily recognize the United States union. WMF stated that the union would need to pursue a formal National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election procedure instead. 404 Media noted that the statement used "very carefully-worded language common among companies and organizations that have fought against unionization".[9] On July 28, the NLRB process was registered, citing a Littler Mendelson representative for WMF and a Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld representative for CWA.[10]
See also
References
- ↑ Hanson, Jarice (2016). The Social Media Revolution: An Economic Encyclopedia of Friending, Following, Texting, and Connecting. ABC-CLIO. p. 375. ISBN 978-1-61069-768-2. Search this book on
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Questions_for_Bernadette_Meehan_regarding_the_WMF%27s_recognition_of_Wiki_Workers_United.webm
- ↑ Jacobs, Julia (April 8, 2019). "Wikipedia Isn't Officially a Social Network. But the Harassment Can Get Ugly". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Cohen, Noam (March 16, 2021). "Wikipedia Is Finally Asking Big Tech to Pay Up". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on March 17, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Culliford, Elizabeth (February 2, 2021). "Exclusive: Wikipedia launches new global rules to combat site abuses". Reuters. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 Knop, Dirk (2026-05-28). "Unionization at Wikimedia: Community protest after layoffs". heise online. Archived from the original on 2026-05-28. Retrieved 2026-07-27. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Sato, Mia (2026-06-24). "UK staff at the foundation that runs Wikipedia seeks union recognition". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2026-07-26. Retrieved 2026-07-27. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Jackson, Ella (2026-07-24). "Staff at the San Francisco-Based Foundation Behind Wikipedia Demand Union Recognition | KQED". KQED Inc. Archived from the original on 2026-07-26. Retrieved 2026-07-27. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Koebler, Jason (2026-07-27). "Wikimedia Will Not Voluntarily Recognize Union a Supermajority of Its Workers Want". 404 Media. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citeq at line 53: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value)., Wikidata Q140812172
External links
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