Statement from NY Guild President Susan DeCarava on Elimination of Harassment NDAs at Conde Nast

NewsGuild of New York members have made it clear that they will not stand by while companies shield harassers at the expense of worker safety. The Guild is committed to abolishing the use of non-disclosure agreements in the media industry and is proud of our members for leading this effort in our newsrooms. I applaud The Daily Beast and New York Magazine for agreeing to an unequivocal elimination of such NDAs going forward and releasing employees from those that currently exist. We look forward to Condé Nast’s agreement to our proposal at the Guild’s next bargaining session. 

NDAs represent a harmful practice that prevents journalists from holding accountable those who abuse their power — eroding a fundamental principle of journalism. Thanks to tenacious reporting, we’re witnessing how the use of such agreements to conceal sexual harassment and discrimination creates unsafe workplaces. In setting a new industry standard, Guild members are demanding better for themselves, their non-unionized colleagues, and from their employers.