Grindr Users Call On CEO George Arison To Recognise Union Formed By Employees
Image: George Arison
An online petition by Grindr users has called on CEO George Arison to respect the right of employees of the popular gay dating app to organise and unionise.
Last week a group of employees under the banner Grindr United, demanded greater respect, fair treatment, and a stronger voice in the company’s decision-making processes.
Grindr United said that they wanted to prioritise “the humanity of our users, not just their wallets.”
“We want a company built for queer people, not one built to extract wealth from queer people. And we want to build it together, united,” the union said in its vision document.
A Seat On The Board
Looking? Yes, for dignity, fair conditions and a voice in the workplace!
Grindr employees are officially out of the closet and forming a union with @cwaunion. 🌈✊
Read more here ⬇️ https://t.co/KEjjLBheaE pic.twitter.com/ZLek9RJHcG
— CODE-CWA (@CODE_CWA) July 20, 2023
The workers are calling for a designated seat on the Board of Directors, enabling them to advocate for the broader LGBTQIA+ community and the people who make Grindr a thriving platform.
The workers said that one of their main objectives was to protect Grindr’s workforce from surprise rounds of layoffs or performance-based terminations. The employees have also expressed concern over the company’s response to attacks on the LGBTQI community and demanded stronger advocacy against discrimination and disenfranchisement.
“We want to push back against attacks on our community; we feel our leadership has not adequately taken a stand against discrimination, disenfranchisement, or the erosion of the rights of trans individuals,” the workers said, adding, “We are our users; we’re zero feet away.”
Grindr CEOs Past Tweets Invite Ire
Reminder: pizza parties don't pay the bills. The only solution to organized greed is organized labor 😎 pic.twitter.com/TBPBbcSrXD
— CWA Next Generation (@CWANextGen) July 21, 2023
As of March 2023, Grindr had around 12.8 million active users. The company was sold by China-based Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. in 2020 following national security concerns raised by US regulators.
Arison was named CEO in 2022, ahead of the company going public. Arison faced online backlash after his past tweets resurfaced. This included one in 2020 where he declared “I am a conservative & agree with some Trump policies”. In another tweet, he suggested Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, known for anti-LGBTQI laws, should run for President.
Grindr management has yet to respond to our request for voluntary recognition of our union.
We remain hopeful that they'll voluntarily recognize Grindr United, which is supported by a supermajority of eligible Grindr employees, so that we can get to the bargaining table ASAP!
— Grindr United ✊ (@GrindrUnited) July 24, 2023
Grindr United in an update posted to its Twitter account said that the company and CEO Arison was yet to respond to the worker’s bid to unionise.
An online petition by Grindr users called on Arison to act and recognise the union. “Over 490 anti-LGBTQ bills having been introduced across the U.S. Now, more than ever, Grindr employees believe it is crucial to stand united & push back against these assaults on equality & inclusivity by joining together to exercise their power at work,” the petition said.
