U.S.-based workers at the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization that hosts Wikipedia and its sister projects, have successfully unionized, voting overwhelmingly to join Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9415. This victory represents a significant step in a global effort by Wikimedia Foundation workers to establish collective bargaining rights within their respective countries.
Workers in the U.S. initiated their organizing efforts as part of the broader Wiki Workers United global campaign, aiming to enhance worker voice, transparency, equity, and shared stewardship within the Wikimedia Foundation.
“The recognition of our union’s first government-sanctioned bargaining unit is a huge milestone in our over ten-year journey to educate, agitate, and organize coworkers,” said Bryan Davis, a member of the WWU organizing committee and WWU-US/CWA. “We continue our petition for recognition in the U.K. and hope to see more jurisdiction-specific units call for voluntary recognition in the coming weeks and months. Solidarity will continue to drive our discussions, planning, and actions as we begin working on our collective goals for contract bargaining to support all WMF workers regardless of legal jurisdiction, job duty, or hours of employment.”
In July, U.S.-based workers demanded union recognition after a supermajority signed union authorization cards. When management declined to honor the organization's commitment to workers' rights to choose union representation, the workers proceeded with a union election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
“Today’s victory is a demonstration of the power of international solidarity,” said Decovan Rhem, President of CWA Local 9415. “WWU-US/CWA members organized across their workplaces and across the world, building support among coworkers internationally and among an incredible community of volunteers and wiki editors. Now, we will take the power our members have built to the bargaining table to negotiate a strong contract that gives Wikimedia workers the voice they have long deserved.”
WWU expresses its sincere gratitude to the Wikimedia volunteer community. Over 2,000 volunteers and community members, who have collectively made more than 15 million edits, have publicly signed petitions supporting Wikimedia Foundation workers and affirming the importance of giving workers a meaningful voice in shaping the future of the movement. This petition is the most supported petition in the history of English-language Wikipedia. The WWU Organizing Committee deeply appreciates this extraordinary demonstration of solidarity.
“Today’s election result is a well-deserved victory not only for Wikimedia U.S. staff, but for everyone who believes in a free, democratic internet. I am proud to be among the 2,000 volunteer editors celebrating this achievement today,” said Shushugah, a volunteer Wikipedia editor since 2015 with over 14,000 global edits.
About CODE-CWA
The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a union movement comprising thousands of workers dedicated to building the voice and power necessary to secure the future of the tech, games, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), which represents hundreds of thousands of workers across the tech, media, telecom, and other industries who unite to fight for justice on the job and in their communities.
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For more information: https://wikiworkersunited.org
Media inquiries: info@wikiworkersunited.org, Sean Nesmith snesmith@cwa-union.org
-- WWU-US Branch September 4, 2026
