'Journalists tweeting their Ls': New York Magazine Union lets elitist mask slip in 'unintentionally revealing' quote from persecuted fact-checker

Members of the New York Magazine Union are hopeful that after so much struggle, they’ll finally have made some headway with the company and see their demands met:

We’re headed back to the bargaining table today after presenting our economic proposals to the company last month. Inspired by our friends @NewYorkerUnion, we’re sharing testimonials from our members about what our contract negotiation means to them:

— New York Mag Union (@NYMagUnion) April 5, 2021

They’re sharing quite a few testimonials. Here are a few of them:

As our comrades at @newyorkerunion have pointed out, journalists can’t live on prestige. A fair contract will ensure that all employees can afford to live in New York. pic.twitter.com/guBqdP8Lg0

— New York Mag Union (@NYMagUnion) April 5, 2021

“Prestige.” Good one!

Experienced, seasoned employees are an incredibly valuable asset to any employer, and @NYmag will have trouble retaining these employees without offering reasonable compensation. We’re proposing fair wages because we want to produce the best possible journalism. pic.twitter.com/6AAkBCiXqP

— New York Mag Union (@NYMagUnion) April 5, 2021

“Pay us more or you’ll get crappy journalism” is a weird flex, given the fact that much of the journalism in New York Magazine is already bad, but forget it. They’re rolling:

Fact checkers are integral to journalism, and yet @NYmag has treated its fact checkers as expendable employees. The teams are understaffed, and the fact checkers are underpaid and overworked. pic.twitter.com/CsRmWtDt19

— New York Mag Union (@NYMagUnion) April 5, 2021

That one might be our favorite. It’s just so … well, it’s just so journalist-y.

The quotation highlighted in this tweet is one of the most unintentionally revealing you'll ever see about how so many people in digital media see themselves versus people without what they regard as the same pedigree and prestige: https://t.co/nwX1ytUZBh

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 6, 2021

That quote is revealing. Those grocery store employees actually provide a valuable service.

— Diego Velasquez (@DiegoVe33531443) April 6, 2021

I hate this entire mindset. You don't intrinsically deserve more money than an employee of Trader Joes just because you have an inflated sense of self-importance. Maybe entry-level grocers are more valuable to society than you are.

— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) April 6, 2021

“Maybe”? No. More like “definitely.”

Grocery store workers are more valuable to society.

— horus (@SolsticeSunday) April 6, 2021

Sounds like “fact checkers” are still over paid by about $20 an hour then.

— Ross (@RssLong) April 6, 2021

love to make the point that fact checkers are underpaid by tacitly implying grocery store workers are over paid. solidarity!!! except when they do GROSS MANUAL LABOR and I feel like it’s not fair they get paid more than me.

— SA-20 (@badearthmother) April 6, 2021

This is a weird take. It is always classless to see someone prop up their jobs worth on top of one that they feel superior to. Pretty gross folks.

Not going to win much public support that way.

— Wolf Papa (@rocky_here) April 6, 2021

Right? If you weren’t sympathetic to journalists’ plight before … you definitely won’t be now.

This arrangement sounds fair.

Working at Trader Joe's is more difficult and its employees are held to a higher standard of accuracy than New York Magazine fact checkers.

— Richard Klagsbrun (@KlagsbrunTO) April 6, 2021

Yeah, but people actually like Trader Joe's employees. Plus they are outstanding at what they do. https://t.co/6r5pOoUGIy

— ?Peter Paradise? (@byPeterParadise) April 6, 2021

then do it. go work at trader joes. everyone who works there seems cool. grocery store workers are way more important than fact checkers anyway. https://t.co/dD9eIbbmsr

— so true amelia (@ameliabeing) April 6, 2021