New Member FAQs
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. Unions are the principal means for workers to organize and protect their rights within a workplace.
DWC formed in 2021 to address workplace issues mainly affecting employees of color at DW, but we represent and advocate for all non-management, non-HR employees.
DWC gives DW staff a say over wages, hours, working conditions, and many other facets of the contractual relationship between DW and its employees . DWC helps to ensure high standards for education, skill levels, wages, working conditions, and quality of life for staff.
What is a Collective Bargaining Agreement?
A union contract or “collective bargaining agreement” (CBA) establishes the basic terms and conditions of work. Until our CBA is signed, DW cannot make any changes to our wages, benefits, hours and working conditions without first negotiating with the DWC.
To reach a CBA, members of DWC (your colleagues) negotiated with DW management over wages, benefits, hours, and working conditions. The settlement reached is spelled out in a written document or contract. It is the job of the union to enforce the contract on behalf of the members.
We reached an agreement on a contract in March 2025. The contract can be found here.
Are there legal protections for the Democracy Workers Collective before the CBA is signed?
Under the National Labor Relations Act (Section 7) you have the legal right to join or support a union and to:
Attend meetings to discuss joining a union.
Read, distribute, and discuss union literature (as long as you do this in non-work areas during non-work times, such as during breaks or lunch hours.)
Wear union buttons, T-shirts, stickers, hats, or other items on the job.
Sign a card asking your employer to recognize and bargain with the union.
Sign petitions or file grievances related to wages, hours, working conditions, and other job issues.
Ask other employees to support the union, to sign union cards or petitions, or to file grievances
Under the National Labor Relations Act (Section 8) Democracy Works cannot legally punish or discriminate against any worker because of union activity. For example, they cannot legally do the following:
Threaten to or actually fire, lay off, discipline, harass, transfer, or reassign employees because they support the union.
Favor employees who don’t support the Democracy Workers Collective over those who do in promotions, job assignments, wages, hours, enforcement of rules, or any other working condition.
Shut down the office or take away any benefits or privileges employees already enjoy in order to discourage collectivizing.
Promise employees a pay increase, promotion, benefit, or special favor if they oppose the union.
Who is protected by the contract?
Everyone who is eligible to join the union will be fully protected by the contract, whether they choose to officially join the union or not. If you live in a right-to-work state, even if you choose not to be a member or pay dues, you will still be protected by and bound to the terms of the contract.
Who is eligible to join the Democracy Workers Collective?
Eligible employees are managed staff who do not have the authority to hire or fire staff. While some may have “Manager” or “Lead” in their titles, leading projects, portfolios, or systems and delegating work do not exclude you from the union.
Managers and leadership with authority to hire or fire staff are not protected by the National Labor Relations Act, and cannot join unions or be part of the bargaining unit. They are considered as part of the management force and not the “labor force”.
Any eligible employee, once hired, is automatically covered by the union contract, and will be asked to join the union. Upon hiring or promoting any employee DW will notify DWC whether the role is “in unit”.
How do you join the Democracy Workers Collective?
Eligible staff can join the union by signing a union authorization card.
No time, work or other commitment is required; although as we all benefit from the protections of the union, pitching in is a great way to ensure your coworker’s and your own success.
If a Collective member becomes a manager with authority to hire or fire staff, they would no longer be part of the bargaining unit and no longer eligible to be in the union.
You have a legal right to revoke any union authorization card that you have signed if you wish to leave the union, though you will still be covered by the contract and NLRB rules.
What does it mean to join the Democracy Workers Collective?
Once you sign a union authorization card, you are able to participate in bargaining discussions and union elections.
All eligible employees are protected by the contract, whether you join or not.
All eligible employees will pay dues once the contract is finalized, unless you live in a right-to-work state and choose not to join.
How much are union dues?
Union dues are around 1.5% of your salary. More information on how dues are calculated here.
By signing a dues authorization card, dues are automatically deducted from your paycheck.
There are dues for all staff who have joined the union, as well as all eligible staff who do not live in a right-to-work state.
The cost of dues is more than offset by raises as a result of the union contract.
Why should you join the Democracy Workers Collective if we already have a signed contract?
The contract doesn’t last forever, and while we had many significant wins in this contract, there are some things we hope to win next time. Joining the collective will give you the voice to advocate for yourself and your colleagues for changes we want to see in our workplace the next time bargaining rolls around.
Many members report that involvement in DWC allows them to interact regularly with colleagues who they don’t work with on a day-to-day basis, and provides a sense of camaraderie and solidarity.
Our discussion groups and social spaces come without the pressure of managers and bosses, and many members value this place to speak freely about the realities of their roles.