Wikipedia editors planning a strike after recent layoffs? Here's what sparked the backlash

Sweeping layoffs appear to have struck a nerve with Wikipedia editors, who are now suggesting changes to the platform's fundraising banners in protest of the recent job cuts at the Wikimedia Foundation. Earlier this month, several employees from the engineering team were laid off. The affected team was responsible for handling tasks and fixing bugs reported by volunteer editors.

The Wikimedia Foundation attributed the layoffs to a decision to move responsibility for the Community Wishlist feature—which allows editors to submit requests—to its broader product and engineering teams.

Editors on Wikipedia's internal forums have proposed a range of responses, including editing strikes and temporarily halting routine anti-vandalism efforts on the site. So far, more than 800 editors have signed a petition pledging support for collective action if it proceeds.

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Under one proposed strike plan, volunteer editors would make edits only in cases of "egregiously inappropriate" activity or to protect pages about living individuals, which are subject to stricter standards under Wikipedia's policies.

Other proposals include disabling software features that make editing easier and deploying a bot to notify users about the strike when they attempt to edit a content page for the first time.

The proposals also state that the community "at all times reserves its fundamental right to fork the Wiki if necessary."

The Foundation has denied allegations that the layoffs are connected to the recent formation of a union for Wikimedia Foundation employees, Wiki Workers United. Speaking to The Register, the Foundation said the affected staff remain employed by the non-profit while it attempts to find alternative roles for them elsewhere within the organization.

Although nearly all Wikipedia editors are unpaid volunteers, the Wikimedia Foundation employs around 700 staff and contractors globally and reported revenue of more than $200 million in the 2025 financial year.