Gawker has kicked off a trend. Following the decision by the news-and-gossip site's writers to unionize earlier this summer, Vice Media's US editorial staff voted to do the same today—about 80 employees in all.

"We are proud of the work we do here at Vice," the employees told Vice in a statement shared by the Writers Guild of America, East, who will be representing them. "We love being part of a company that is changing media and having an impact on the world. We believe that a union is a logical step for the long-term legacy of the company."

In addition to Gawker, Salon and The Guardian US voted to unionize earlier this summer as well. The votes represent a growing interest in old-fashioned labor organizing among digital media workers—a practice more common among traditional old-media stalwarts like The New York Times or The Associated Press.

Vice co-founder and CEO Shane Smith responded to the decision in the grandiose style that has typified Vice's rise from hipster bad-boy to billion-dollar media company: