Lemonada Media has struck its first three-year collective bargaining agreement with its producers and engineers represented by The Writers Guild of America.
The contract, which was unanimously ratified by the 15-member bargaining unit, includes a minimum salary of $70,000 for the most junior role and producer salaries starting at $87,000; a guaranteed 2% annual pay increase after the first year and 3% annual pay increase in the two years following.
It also includes a minimum of 12 weeks of severance (after six months of service), just cause, PTO for part-time employees, a codified 40-hour work week and comp time; and four-week paid sabbatical for employees who have worked at Lemonada for at least five years.
“We’re thrilled to have reached a first collective bargaining agreement that advances Lemonada Media towards a mutual goal of building a stable and equitable workplace,” the union said in a statement. “This is a hard time for our industry. Our colleagues at Lemonada and beyond are making wonderful podcasts that entertain, tell great stories, and even make life suck less – all while many large companies carry out layoffs and disregard the people who built this medium by supporting each other and connecting with listeners. We are proud to still be making strong and meaningful work in this environment.
“As a Union shop represented by the WGAE, we look forward to many fruitful years of collaboration with our colleagues, our hosts and Lemonada’s founders, Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer,” the statement concluded.
Lemonada’s podcasts include “Confessions of a Female Founder With Meghan,” “Alive With Steve Burns,” “The Sarah Silverman Podcast,” “Wiser Than Me With Julia Louis-Dreyfus,” “Fail Better With David Duchovny,” “My So-Called Midlife With Reshma Saujani,” and “No One Is Coming to Save Us,” among others.
In addition to Lemonada Media, the WGAE represents podcast production companies Crooked Media, the iHeart Podcast Network, Pineapple Street Studios, Pushkin Industries, The Ringer and Spotify Studios.
