Wikipedia Editors Could Strike Following Layoffs
Wikipedia editors are contemplating a strike in response to recent layoffs at the Wikimedia Foundation. The layoffs affected six members of the Community Engineering team, which handled editor requests and feature updates. Over 800 editors have signed a petition supporting potential collective action, including editing strikes and other measures.
- ▪The Wikimedia Foundation laid off six members of its Community Engineering team earlier this month.
- ▪Editors are discussing strategies for a strike, including editing only in cases of serious issues.
- ▪The foundation denies that the layoffs are connected to the recent formation of a union among its workers.
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Wikipedia editors are discussing a strike and have even suggested changing its fundraising banners to critique recent layoffs at the Wikimedia Foundation, which maintains the online encyclopedia. The Register reports that the calls come after six members of the nonprofit's Community Engineering team were laid off earlier this month. The team handled tasks like responding to editor requests to fix bugs and add new features. The Wikimedia Foundation attributed the layoffs to a decision to move responsibility for the Community Wishlist feature, which allows editors to make requests, to its wider product and engineering team.Editors on the website's internal forums are suggesting strategies such as editing strikes or having volunteers temporarily stop clearing up day-to-day vandalism on the…
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