The same day that Forbes released its '30 Under 30' list, the editorial staff walked off the job.

On a crucial day for the company, the Forbes Union, representing the magazine's editorial staff, went on strike Tuesday.

On the day that Forbes released its "30 Under 30" list, the union issued a warning to management and scheduled a walkout.

Nearly three years, the union members have been fighting for fair wages, reductions in force, and severance protections, but management has been stalling at the bargaining table, according to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"Forbes unit chair and statistics editor, Andrea Murphy, stated at a recent town hall that management is eager to obtain a contract but believes it is a long way off due to the actions of management. However, she emphasized that Forbes is prepared to negotiate a contract that recognizes the value brought by the unit."

The union is advocating for 8% annual raises, a wage floor of $75,000, union protection for all eligible, a 15% minimum raise for promotions, and additional pay for weekends and overtime, while management is proposing 1% annual raises, a wage floor of $60,000, a 5% minimum raise for promotions, and no additional pay for weekends or overtime.

""Forbes is currently suggesting a minimum wage of $60,000 for new employees, but Murphy believes it's not a fair compensation for the work being done," according to the statement."

The Forbes Union is requesting that the company cease "unlawfully and without consent" removing individuals from the bargaining group.

The Forbes Union has accused management of incorrectly classifying some of its members as "management" and excluding them from the union. The union claims this is a common anti-union practice and is fighting it through an unfair labor practice charge.

Management has been delaying the contract negotiation process, according to Murphy, and she believes it is a deliberate tactic to dampen the union's enthusiasm.

""They claim they've been doing this in good faith all along, but of course, they don't tell us that when we're sitting at the bargaining table," she added."

Forbes has been on the brink of a sale for quite some time. Recently, Koch Inc.'s private equity arm was in negotiations to purchase Forbes in partnership with another individual investor, according to sources. Prior to that, the company was considering a blank check merger in 2021.

Hank Tucker, a staff writer at Forbes and the vice chair of the union, believes that the possibility of a sale may influence management's decision to delay a potential contract negotiation.

"We're not only leaving due to wages, but also for better severance and layoff protections. We're concerned about the practice of new owners making layoffs soon after taking control, and we want to ensure that we have protections in place to combat this. It seems like Forbes is trying to delay our departure until a new owner can make their own decisions on where to prioritize in the contract."

Other media unions haven't had to wait as long as they have for a first contract, as stressed by Murphy.

"It's disheartening when our editor-in-chief, Randall Lane, says he wants the best contract in media, yet the company presents us with a 1% raise and a minimum salary of $60,000."

The walkout coincides with the launch of the company's "30 Under 30" list, which highlights the work required to produce the lists.

"The Under 30 list is a high-profile list for Forbes, but it requires months of work from every team in the newsroom."

"She stated, "The scope is intense." "Every part of the newsroom is involved in this, and so we felt like walking out on this day highlights the immense effort required to do this level of journalism daily. We want to utilize the attention and spotlight this list receives annually and direct some of it towards our contract fight.""

The Forbes Union is part of the NewsGuild of New York, which represents approximately 6,000 media professionals and other employees at New York area news organizations, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Thomson Reuters, among others.

"Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of NY, stated that Forbes' success with "30 Under 30" is a direct result of the members' hard work. She added, "It's long past time for management to recognize this fact with a fair contract.""

Planet Chronicle Digital reached out to Forbes for comment.