Theorist Media union drive: What it means for creators

If you've ever edited a thumbnail at 2 a.m., negotiated a brand deal in DMs, and wondered why your wrists hate you - this one's for you. A prominent YouTube production house is in the crosshairs of Hollywood-style organizing, and the ripple effects could redefine jobs across the creator economy. Translation: what happens next might decide how you get paid, protected, and credited in the years ahead.

What's happening (and why creators should care)

Writers and editors at Theorist - the studio behind The Game Theorists, The Film Theorists, The Food Theorists, Style Theory, and GTLive - are moving to unionize. The Writers Guild of America West (WGA West) and the Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG, IATSE Local 700) are teaming up to organize a single-company bargaining unit covering more than two dozen staffers, including writers, editors, producers, and specialists like thumbnail and sound designers.

The unit seeks to negotiate on wages, working conditions, and workplace voice. For a creator company, that's a big deal. It's an attempt to bring the kinds of protections common in film and TV to YouTube-native production - where schedules, scope creep, and "can you just tweak this one last thing?" are practically traditions.

Wait, unions... in the creator economy?

Yes, and the timing tracks a larger shift. SAG-AFTRA recently set up a committee focused on influencers and digital creators and has had an Influencer Agreement pathway since 2021, giving brand-funded creators a way to access union benefits. WGA West candidates have been openly courting creators, signaling the guild's intent to serve digital writers alongside film and TV. Meanwhile, MPEG has long represented post-production pros. This is the first significant attempt to bring those norms to a flagship YouTube shop.

Theorist's backstory (and why it matters now)

• Founded by MatPat and Stephanie Patrick, Theorist built a multi-channel empire prized for high-volume, research-heavy videos and a slate of hosts.
• In 2022, the company was acquired by London-based Lunar X, which has been consolidating digital-first brands.
• In 2024, MatPat stepped back from regular on-camera hosting, while the channels continued under a broader talent bench.

According to public reporting, Theorist has so far declined to voluntarily recognize the union. If that holds, the next stop is the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), where a petition can trigger an election. If a majority votes yes, the company must bargain in good faith. No, that doesn't mean instant raises and free matcha; it means both sides start negotiating a contract.

What a contract could actually include

You can't negotiate viral views, but you can negotiate the stuff that makes them survivable. Expect proposals around:

• Minimum rates by role: Writers, editors, producers, and design specialists often do wildly different work under one generic title. Rate floors fix that.
• Overtime and scheduling: Guardrails around late nights, turnarounds, and weekend work (yes, thumbnails count).
• Benefits and PTO: Health, retirement contributions, paid time off, and sick leave that recognizes the reality of high-tempo releases.
• Credits and role clarity: Who gets credited for writing, research, thumbnails, sound, and revisions - on-platform and off.
• AI use and consent: Policies for voice cloning, visual assets, and edit automation with transparency and opt-in protections.
• Safety and ergonomics: Post-production is a repetitive stress minefield; standards can reduce injury and burnout.
• Performance-linked pay structures: Clear, pre-agreed bonuses tied to milestones like series launches or sponsor deliverables - without gambling your rent on the algorithm.

How the NLRB process works (quick and painless, unlike your export queue)

1. Showing of interest: At least 30% of the proposed unit sign cards.
2. Petition and unit definition: NLRB reviews who's in the bargaining unit (writers, editors, etc.).
3. Election: Secret ballot. If a majority of those voting say yes, the union is certified.
4. Bargaining: The union and company negotiate a contract. This is where the real work - and compromise - happens.

If you run a creator business, read this before your next upload

• Audit titles vs. tasks: If "Producer" secretly means "writer-researcher-editor-thumbnaillist-voiceover," expect organizing energy.
• Timekeeping matters: Even for salary roles, transparent hour tracking prevents scope creep (and lawsuits).
• Create rate cards and promotion ladders: People need to know how they grow - and what that growth pays.
• Codify AI policy: How you use, credit, and compensate for AI-assisted work is no longer optional.
• Budget realistically: Healthy margins include people costs. Viral videos don't pay overtime; budgets do.
• Communicate early: If your team is organizing, don't panic-post. Don't retaliate. Do listen - and get reputable counsel.

If you're staff at a creator company, here's your playbook

• Document your work: Track hours, revisions, deliverables, and last-minute changes. Data wins arguments.
• Know your rights: In the U.S., discussing pay and working conditions is protected concerted activity.
• Talk roles, not personalities: Contracts fix systems, not people. Focus on standards that outlast leadership changes.
• Be specific: "We want respect" doesn't bargain as well as "We want a minimum rate of X, OT after Y, and 10-hour turnarounds."

The bigger picture: Why this could be a watershed

The creator economy is massive and maturing - investment banks have projected it could approach half a trillion dollars in the near term. Yet job protections haven't kept pace with the output demands of always-on publishing. If a high-profile YouTube studio lands a contract that covers writers, editors, producers, and design specialists, it provides a template the rest of the industry can copy-paste. That's bigger than any single channel; it's industry infrastructure.

Timeline at a glance

• 2022: Theorist sells to Lunar X.
• 2024: MatPat steps back from regular on-camera hosting as the channels expand their bench.
• 2025 (spring-summer): Guilds increase focus on influencers and digital creators.
• 2025 (current): WGA West and the Motion Picture Editors Guild move to unionize Theorist staffers. Company has not granted voluntary recognition; an NLRB petition is on the table.

So... what should creators take away today?

Regardless of how this campaign plays out, the message is clear: the creator economy is graduating from "hustle" to "industry." Standards are coming - either by choice or by contract. If you make videos for a living (or hire people who do), now is the time to get your house in order. Think of it like color correction: fix it in pre, not in post.