During this work stoppage, we wanted to take a moment to highlight one of our biggest outstanding issues: compensation for The Ringer’s hourly employees — a category that includes most of our editorial assistants, copy desk, video producers, and podcast producers.

At The Ringer, hourly employees are paid a base amount per week. But rather than reflecting 40 hours of work, the base pay is calculated according to 40 hours of “regular” work at a lower hourly rate and 10 hours of overtime. (If this seems confusing, that’s because it is!)

Hourly employees are unable to file for additional pay until they’ve already logged 50 hours of work — when 40 hours is, and should be, the norm. The Ringer calls its pay set-up a “50-hour guarantee.” But this “guarantee” artificially suppresses overtime pay.

Throughout negotiations, management has held fast to this needlessly complicated system. We believe that all workers deserve a 40-hour workweek and a contract that protects it, including the ones who make The Ringer possible. #unionsatspotify

Reminder that we'll be going live with @GimletUnion and @ParcastUnion at http://twitch.tv/unionsatspotify  at 1EST to talk about this and other issues! #unionsatspotify