Editorial staff of ‘Nature’ magazine, on strike for the first time in 155 years of history

Workers at the Springer Nature group, which includes the scientific journal ‘Nature‘, among others of international prestige, began this Thursday the first strike in the 155-year history of the British publication.

Throughout the morning, dozens of people gathered in front of the editorial office to demand “a fair pay”, in the face of inflation that reached 11.1% in October 2022, despite currently being at the lowest level in the last three years (2%).

Tesi Villanueva, a company worker, highlighted to EFE that in recent times her task has built-in difficulties, such as artificial intelligence, which employees face daily to compare the publication proposals they receive.

“Our work is becoming more difficult, it costs us more and more and we see that we are paid worse and worse.”said Villanueva, who considered the current salary insufficient to meet day-to-day expenses.

According to a spokesperson for the journalists’ union, present at the demonstration, Springer Nature’s salary increase offers are “systematically below inflation”.

“People can no longer afford to work for the company“added another worker who did not want to reveal her name, and who defends that she does not want to protest, but that she has been forced to do so due to salary conditions.

However, since Springer Nature They told EFE that they consider that “the offer of salary increase above inflation is fair”, referring to a 5.8% adjustment proposal.

“We are hopeful that the situation will be resolved soon and we have already clearly shown our willingness to sit back at the table to continue the discussion.“added a company spokesperson.

The National Union of Journalists in the United Kingdom (NUJ) announced the staff’s intentions in a press release at the beginning of June, where it detailed that the strike will extend throughout the months of June and July.

According to a union spokesperson in that statement, the majority of workers feel “Frustrated with the company and the way they are handling negotiations” and reject the 5.8% offer.

“Private sector pay rises averaged 7.9% as good companies recognized the rising cost of living for their employees, while Springer Nature staff continue to lose money“, accurate.

It is the magazine’s first strike since its founding in November 1869, after they voted in favor of a strike in the 90s, but this was annulled when the company returned to the negotiating table.