Insider Inc. Editorial Staff Goes On Strike Over Healthcare Changes and Layoff Proposals

The dispute between editorial staff and management at Insider Inc., the parent company of Business Insider, has escalated into an indefinite strike. Over 250 editorial employees, represented by the Insider Union, are protesting due to significant disagreements, particularly involving changes to the company’s healthcare plan.

The Insider Union, formed in 2021, represents the editorial staff of Insider and Business Insider. This development was the culmination of mounting frustrations over contract negotiations and changes to staff benefits.

The union has the support of The NewsGuild of New York, which filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against Insider in November 2022 with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The complaint accused Insider of unlawfully altering workers’ healthcare coverage, a claim that the NLRB found merit in and which led to a complaint being issued against the company in May 2023.

Following this, the union took a decisive step and voted to authorize the strike on May 24, signaling readiness to escalate if negotiations failed by June 2nd. With negotiations breaking down, the strike has now taken effect.

Insider Union steward Libby Torres has voiced the struggle, stating that attempts at good-faith negotiations with management have been met with opposition. Despite these allegations, a company spokesperson has responded, “We are actively engaged with our union team, which we have great respect for. Our goal remains the same: To agree to the best possible contract that works for the whole company.”

At the heart of the conflict is the company’s healthcare plan. Union members accuse management of unilaterally modifying it without proper bargaining, resulting in higher costs and worse coverage. Some employees have even seen their healthcare costs rise by over 1000%.

This strike isn’t the first sign of turbulence within the company. Just a month prior, hundreds of employees staged a walkout in protest against the proposed layoffs that would affect 10% of the company’s staff. As the current strike unfolds, the future course of the company remains uncertain.