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UK-based employees of the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), the non-profit organization that supports Wikipedia, continue to press ahead with their union campaign. On Wednesday, employees sent a letter to WMF management asking the organization to voluntarily recognize the union.
“The IMF has witnessed a period of significant change in recent months, raising workers’ concerns about transparency, trust and the future direction of the organisation.” press release From the Communications Workers Union reads. “Workers are long-time contributors and organizers, and are deeply committed to the Wikimedia movement.”
WMF employees are based around the world, and the UK contingent was the first to seek union recognition. Workers have been organizing for months under Wiki Workers Union The UK has the second largest number of WMF employees after the US, the press release says.
The letter sent on Wednesday comes after weeks of tense relations at Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation. In May, the foundation announced this A popular team solution Which worked closely with Wikipedia’s contributors, and the army of editors, writers and other volunteers who create and maintain the encyclopedia. (The contributors are not employees of WMF, although some have gone to work for the organization in an official capacity.)
The announcement of the potential layoffs came as a shock to many, and both volunteers and some former employees of the Wikipedia Foundation expressed concern about Wikipedia’s future. Some questioned whether the move was related to efforts by WMF employees to unionize their workplaces. At the time, WMF Chief of Staff Nadi Jonasena denied that the dissolution process (and potential layoffs) was related to the union’s activities, and said Edge That the organization “respect(s) the rights of all eligible employees to vote, and if a majority of eligible employees vote in favor of representation, we will proceed to negotiate in good faith.”
In response to the dismantling, volunteers rallied behind Wiki Workers United: more than 1,100 contributors participated I signed a petition Saying that they would be willing to participate in collective action if the union called for it. Collective action might mean that volunteers might go on strike, refusing to edit and maintain Wikipedia except in extreme cases.
The Wikimedia Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The UK-based group Wiki Workers United did not respond in time for publication.
