News Union Chief Calls Out BuzzFeed CEO Amid Wave of Digital Brand Downsizing: ‘Don’t Be a Coward’

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The nation’s largest news union is taking a more aggressive stance in the face of job cuts, perhaps signaling an inflection point for all news unions

BuzzFeed News Union says CEO Jonah Peretti has failed to face reporters in light of announced job cuts.
BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti. (Getty Images)

The head of America’s largest labor union representing journalists has some pugilistic advice for BuzzFeed chief executive Jonah Peretti: “Don’t be a coward.”

The sharp rebuke from NewsGuild-CWA president Jon Schleuss comes as both sides are set to meet Tuesday to discuss the company’s plan to slash editorial jobs amid a newsroom management shakeup. But the biggest uncertainly about the talks is if Peretti will even attend.

BuzzFeed journalists are publicly fuming that Peretti has largely avoided his news team since last week’s announcement that cost-cutting measures could gut the 100-person BuzzFeed News staff by one-third. The team’s workers were also infuriated when he left an all-hands meeting just before it was opened up for questions.

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