QVC’s on-air hosts aim to unionize as bankruptcy case continues
The hosts are seeking protections against AI, among other requests. QVC management is reviewing the petition, a spokesperson said.
QVC hosts are moving to unionize as the West Chester-based home shopping network reorganizes in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
A supermajority of the network’s 32 on-air hosts presented a petition to company management last week, announcing their desire to unionize and asking for voluntary recognition of the union, according to a statement from SAG-AFTRA, which the hosts intend to join.
QVC management is reviewing the petition, spokesperson Matthew Goldstein said in a statement: “We respect the legal rights of all team members and are committed to following the appropriate process thoughtfully and responsibly.”
On Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA — which represents 160,000 media professionals nationwide — filed an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on the QVC hosts’ behalf, according to the federal agency’s website. If the employer does not voluntarily recognize the union, the petition can trigger an NLRB election and lead to a union’s formal certification.
The hosts are taking steps to unionize as company higher-ups try to expedite the bankruptcy process, with the hope of emerging this summer.
QVC pioneered home shopping 40 years ago and developed a loyal following of fans, mostly women, who bought clothes, home goods, kitchen appliances, tech products, and other wares at all hours.
» READ MORE: Meet the QVC fans who have kept the shopping network alive
From its West Chester studios, the network and its smaller counterpart, HSN, still broadcasts live, and customers can still call in to order merchandise. But the company has also expanded into online, social-media, and livestream shopping —with mixed results. They are up against stiff competition from the likes of Amazon and other ecommerce giants.
After years of declining revenue and months of speculation, QVC Group filed for Chapter 11 protection in April, and submitted a reorganization plan that would slash its debt from about $6.6 billion to $1.3 billion within 90 days.
In recent weeks, a group of shareholders has challenged the plan, putting the company’s expedited emergence in jeopardy, according to court documents.
» READ MORE: QVC officially filed for bankruptcy. Here's what to know.
The QVC hosts, meanwhile, have other issues on their mind: They are concerned about artificial intelligence, and don’t want QVC using AI to imitate their image, voice, and likeness without consent or compensation, according to SAG-AFTRA, citing the hosts’ petition.
The national union said the hosts are also calling for stronger job security in the face of AI, clearer paths for career advancement, greater say in company decisions, more equitable pay, and transparency around compensation.
“We believe we should have meaningful input into our role in the network’s future, and that this is best accomplished through a formal collective-bargaining process,” the hosts wrote in the petition, according to SAG-AFTRA.
» READ MORE: QVC Group faces $30 million ‘unjustified termination’ lawsuit after report of potential bankruptcy
SAG-AFTRA officials said they encouraged QVC management to voluntarily recognize the union and “avoid a costly NLRB process.”
SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement that he applauded the QVC hosts’ “decision to stand together and seek a collective voice.”
“These workers are at the heart of QVC’s success, connecting with audiences through creativity, authenticity, and innovation every day,” Crabtree-Ireland said.
Goldstein, the company spokesperson, said the network’s hosts are “deeply valued team members and an important part of what makes QVC special.”
This is a developing story and may be updated.
