New York (CNN Business) After a crushing round of layoffs that sent shockwaves through the newsroom, BuzzFeed's editorial staff announced on Tuesday that they have formed a union to grapple with the threats looming over the media industry.

Employees have informed BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith of their intentions, according to the NewsGuild of New York — the union with which BuzzFeed is organizing. NewsGuild said that more than 90% of "eligible editorial employees signed on to the union effort."

In a statement Tuesday, Smith said, "We look forward to meeting with the organizers to discuss a way toward voluntarily recognizing their union."

However, it appears that the effort to unionize started before the latest round of cuts, with the NewsGuild calling it a "months long organizing drive." Included in the demands are PTO payouts, reasonable severance and due process for termination — a list that shows that staffers are bracing for more turmoil.

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