UK staff at the foundation that runs Wikipedia seeks union recognition

UK-based staff at the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), the nonprofit that supports Wikipedia, are pushing forward with their unionization drive. On Wednesday, the staff sent a letter to WMF management requesting the organization voluntarily recognize the union. “The WMF has undergone a period of significant change in recent months, escalating workers’ concerns over transparency, trust, and the organisation’s future direction,” a press release from the Communication Workers Union reads. “The workers are longtime contributors and organisers, and are deeply committed to the Wikimedia movement.” WMF staff are based around the world, and the UK contingent is the first to seek union recognition. Workers have been organizing for months under the Wiki Workers United umbrella, and the UK has the second-highest number of WMF employees after the US, the press release says. The letter sent on Wednesday comes after weeks of tense relations at WMF and Wikipedia. In May, the foundation announced it was disbanding a beloved team that worked closely with Wikipedia contributors, the army of editors, writers, and other volunteers who create and maintain the encyclopedia. (Contributors are not employees of WMF, though some have gone on to work for the foundation in a formal capacity.) The announcement of potential layoffs came as a shock to many, and both volunteers and some former WMF employees expressed concern over the future of Wikipedia. …