The Canadian Media Guild (CMG) has applied to the Canada industrial Relations Board (CIRB) for the right to represent employees at VICE Canada.

"A strong majority of employees at VICE across Canada have signed a union card and we are delighted to welcome them into our union," Carmel Smyth, national president of the CMG, said. "We look forward to supporting them to find their collective voice in the workplace and to negotiate the kinds of progressive working conditions and benefits that digital media workers expect in 2016."

In 1994, VICE was a Montreal-based magazine. It has now evolved into digital media company, with a TV and film studio, record label and book publishing division—now based in Brooklyn, NY. VICE has operation in 35 countires, with offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, and recently formed a partnership with Rogers to launch VICE Studio Canada (2015) and its specialty tv network, VICELAND (2016).

Employees seeking to form a union, work in the editorial, marketing and production/post-production departments. In the next few days, the labour board will organize a secret ballot vote of employees to confirm their right to form a union.

The Canadian Media Guild (CMG) is made up of 6000 journalists, hosts producers, technicians, videographers, editors, librarians, programmers, sales reps, administrative staff and freelancers.