Union approves Consumer Reports contract extension

Union members who work for Consumer Reports have approved an 18-month contract extension and the personal finance magazine’s voluntary separation plan.

The Thursday vote by the News Guild of New York members was unanimous, with 138 for the extension and plan, none against and two abstentions.

The vote extends the contract through June 30, 2017, and provides employees with wage increases. The separation plan is a voluntary option to many employees, both Guild members and employees not represented by the Guild, who have been with the organization 10 or more years.

Last June, Consumer Reports laid off 17 employees — six managers and 11members of the News Guild. Consumer Reports also created six new guild positions in its IT department. Those changes came after it revamped its top editorial structure and also dropped two publications.

Consumer Reports magazine has 3.6 million subscribers. There also are more than 3 million subscribers to Consumer Reports Online.