by Venus Sanders
Anne Hathaway made a bold statement on Tuesday morning by walking out of a Vanity Fair photo shoot in solidarity with the ongoing work stoppage initiated by nearly 400 union members employed at Condé Nast.
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The walkout is a protest against what the union claims are unlawful negotiation practices. Hathaway, who was participating in a New York City photo shoot for Vanity Fair, was unaware of the work stoppage when she arrived. Upon being informed by a SAG-AFTRA staffer about the ongoing protest, she promptly left, still in the early stages of hair and makeup, to show her support.
According to a source cited by Variety, the photo shoot had not yet commenced when Anne Hathaway decided to join the work stoppage. The walkout by Condé Nast union members coincided with the announcement of the 2024 Oscar nominations on Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. ET. Employees from various Condé Nast publications, including Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ, Allure, Condé Nast Entertainment, Architectural Digest, Glamour, Self, and Teen Vogue, participated in the rally in front of the company's New York offices.
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Videos shared on the union's Twitter account showed protesters holding signs that read, "Layoffs are out of fashion." Chants of “Say it loud, say it clear, winter’s extra cold this year” echoed through the demonstration, in an apparent play on the name of Anna Wintour.
The walkout comes on the heels of Condé Nast's recent decision to merge Pitchfork with GQ, leading to layoffs at Pitchfork, including the departure of editor-in-chief Puja Patel. Anna Wintour, the Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast and Global Editorial Director of Vogue, addressed the changes in a memo, stating, "Today we are evolving our Pitchfork team structure by bringing the team into the GQ organization.
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This decision was made after a careful evaluation of Pitchfork’s performance and what we believe is the best path forward for the brand so that our coverage of music can continue to thrive within the company."
Condé Nast Union had previously shared their plans for a potential walkout, expressing dissatisfaction with the company's actions. In a post on Twitter, they declared, “Our longest yeah boy ever: Nearly 400 of us have pledged to STOP WORK when our bargaining committee calls for a 24-hour walkout. RT to tell @CondeNast you stand with workers: stop breaking the law, stop union busting, and stop the layoffs. Keep your eyes here for more soon.”
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The backdrop to these events includes Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch's announcement in November 2023 about laying off over 300 employees and implementing other cost-reduction measures to enhance efficiency within the company. The walkout and protests reflect the growing tension between the company and its employees, who are pushing back against perceived unfair labor practices and the impact of recent decisions on job security.