In a statement released on social media, Dark Horse Workers United (DHWU), the union for the publisher’s employees, alleges that the company is targeting senior editors by giving them supervisory manager status.
The statement reads, in part, “This week, Senior Editors were given ‘job clarifications’ that entirely changed their job descriptions. If they don’t agree to take on management tasks and sacrifice their union eligibility, they will be demoted and receive a significant pay cut.”
The union says, “Since the Voluntary Recognition Agreement [was] signed [in June], DHWU has been working in good faith with Dark Horse Comics to take [the] next steps toward contract negotiations — but that good faith has not been reciprocated.” It adds, “As of now, Senior Editors are not supervisors, but Dark Horse is hoping to sidestep this by giving them supervisory responsibilities and acting as if they were there the whole time.”
DHWU concludes its statement saying “[it] will fight for our amazing senior editors, and we call on Dark Horse to join us in good faith negotiations. No more underhanded attempts to reduce our union membership. The herd stands strong!”
Dark Horse Workers United was formed and recognized by the publisher earlier this year, in-between Jay Komas replacing Mike Richardson as CEO of the company, and the promotion of Tim Wiesch, Vanessa Todd-Holmes, and Melissa Teeman as the new heads of the company.
Prior to this, the union had been negotiating with Dark Horse over layoffs in the IT department. Richardson’s dismissal means layoffs are expected to continue at the company, but the union’s presence will mean it’ll be harder for its executives.
Update, August 3: Dark Horse responded in a statement that it “supports the Voluntary Recognition Agreement (VRA) that was mutually agreed to and signed by the legal representatives of Dark Horse Workers United (DHWU) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The agreement recognizes that, under the National Labor Relations Act, statutory supervisors are not eligible for union representation. We remain committed to working together in good faith throughout the collective bargaining process.”
Is DH’s argument that Senior Editors manage assistant editors?
Senior editors DO manage assistant editors along with being senior staff to associate editors. You can’t have it both ways: You are either senior level staff with assistants and leadership discretion or you’re a mid-level staff member without decision making authority or responsibility for junior staff. I’m very pro-union but this whole situation is being operated by people who do not understand collective bargaining agreements and how to set up workplace union rules and they’re shooting themselves in the foot because of it.