Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Democracy Workers Collective?

The Democracy Workers Collective (DWC) is the recognized Union for eligible employees of Democracy Works (DW). DWC is a member of The News Guild, a collection of unions that includes news, media, nonprofit and labor unions.

Why did we unionize?

As we work to create a more equitable, sustainable, and representative democracy externally, we believe Democracy Works should uphold these values internally. DWC formed in 2021 to address a variety of workplace issues – particularly equity concerns affecting employees of color – and we came together to advocate for all non-management, non-HR employees.

Before DWC was formed, management was able to make decisions on our working conditions and the direction of our organization with or without our input. Now, they are required to negotiate with us “in good faith” on these topics. Instead of being “at-will” employees who can be disciplined or fired for no reason at all, we are now workers with rights and protections, including the right to “just cause” firing.

What are we advocating for?

DWC gives DW staff a say over wages, hours, benefits, and many other facets of the contractual relationship between DW and its employees. DWC helps to ensure high standards for staff working conditions.

Some of our main priorities include:

Democracy in decision making, i.e. including staff in decisions that impact our work
Consistently and equitably setting salaries to reflect the work, skills, leadership, and innovation staff bring across all teams
Retaining staff by improving the workplace, fairly evaluating all employees, and holding leadership accountable
Ensuring all staff can do their jobs effectively in a standard work week

Who is in the union?

All permanent, non-management and non-confidential employees at Democracy Works are included in our bargaining unit. DWC includes employees with a broad range of job responsibilities, from writing code, to communications and design, to fundraising, to research; from interfacing with local election officials, to contracting and supporting partner colleges, nonprofits, and corporations.

Employees who are ineligible for unit membership include those who manage full-time employees and those who have access to confidential employee information, such as salaries, performance plans, and hiring information.

What is the NewsGuild CWA?

Democracy Workers Collective is part of the local 31222 of The NewsGuild-CWA. The NewsGuild (TNG) is the largest union of communications and media employees in North America, with over 25,000 members across the United States and Canada. Communications Workers of America (CWA) is The NewsGuild’s parent organization, representing over 700,000 employees.

While The NewsGuild is primarily made up of employees at news organizations (such as the LA Times, the New York Times, and the Appeal), it also has member unions at dozens of nonprofits and social justice organizations across North America, including Southern Poverty Law Center, Center for Public Integrity, Lambda Legal, League of Conservation Voters, and RAICES.