Wikimedia Foundation Statement on US staff unionization

4 September 2026 (United States) - Today, eligible Wikimedia Foundation staff in the United States voted in favor of union representation. The election was conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by secret ballot. We expect the results will be certified by the NLRB within 7 business days.

Throughout the voting period, staff were able to meet and organize during working hours without restriction, and Wikimedia Foundation leadership repeatedly affirmed staff's right to decide for themselves whether union representation was right for them. The Foundation respects this outcome and is glad that all eligible staff had the opportunity to participate and make their voices heard.

The Foundation will now move forward with good-faith collective bargaining with the union. We will approach this next phase constructively, lawfully, and with care for the staff whose work makes it possible for us to serve people everywhere.

For 25 years, Wikipedia has established an unparalleled resource for reliable information with the mission to make knowledge accessible for everyone, everywhere. Achieving this mission depends on the combined contributions of staff, volunteers, donors, partners, and readers across the globe. We are grateful to all those who continue to support Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects and continue to strive toward a vision of a world in which everyone can share in the sum of all human knowledge.

At the Wikimedia Foundation, we value collaboration across differences, constant improvement, and curiosity. These values do not just define the projects we host; they are also our commitment to how our employees should be treated. A commitment to these values will be central to the Foundation's approach in this next phase of the process.

About the Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation is the nonprofit that operates Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. We support the people, technology, and policies that enable reliable information to be shared with the world. The Wikimedia Foundation is a United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with offices in San Francisco, California, USA.