Try the Insider Union signature cocktail “Hot Contract Summer” to celebrate our TA

A “Hot Contract Summer” cocktail in all its glory. Gabby Landsverk

• The Insider Union has been bargaining for two years and on strike for 13 days.

• But now, we’ve reached a tentative agreement with management, and we’re celebrating!

• Try our signature cocktail, the “Hot Contract Summer,” to celebrate with us — and yes, there is a mocktail version.

It’s time to raise a glass in celebration: The Insider Union has finally reached a tentative agreement with Insider Inc. management on its first-ever contract.

After a historic 13-day strike with the NewsGuild of New York, the more than 250 members of the Insider Union have tentatively agreed to a contract that includes $65,000 salary floors, guaranteed annual raises, and just cause for all unit members. Huzzah!

Insider Union’s reporters, editors, designers, and producers have been bargaining with Insider management for two years in the pursuit of a sustainable and equitable newsroom that raises industry standards. Now, the only thing left to do is pour one out in honor of our brave, hard-working, and dedicated members.

And there’s no better way to celebrate your favorite unionized journalists than with a refreshing seasonal sip that we like to call the Hot Contract Summer:

How to make a Hot Contract Summer

You’ll need:

• 1.5 oz blanco tequila (can sub in light rum or vodka, if preferred) 

• 0.5 oz lime juice (freshly squeezed is ideal) 

• 0.5 oz ginger syrup or liquor

• 4 oz orange juice

• ¼ cup raspberries (with a few extra to garnish) 

• Honey or agave syrup

• Seltzer

Recipe:

1. Add your raspberries and a spoonful of honey or agave syrup to a sturdy glass or mason jar and mix with the back of a spoon until blended.

2. Pour in the orange juice, lime juice, ginger syrup or liquor, and tequila. Stir briskly to combine. 

3. Add ice. 

4. Top with seltzer, garnish with a lime wheel and more raspberries, and enjoy while supporting workers’ rights!

**Bartender’s tip: To make the Hot Contract Summer into a mocktail, omit the booze, double the lime juice and ginger syrup, and use 6 oz of orange juice instead.
** Second bartender’s tip: For a more even color gradient, make a raspberry syrup by mixing the raspberries and honey in a saucepan on low for 5 minutes, then straining through a sieve to remove the seeds.

The official start of summer may still be a week away, but there’s so much to celebrate right now. The Insider Union has officially turned up the temperature on digital media workers’ rights with the hottest contract around, so join us in rejoicing over the power of solidarity. Cheers!

Business Outsider is a strike publication of Insider Union, which is a unit of The NewsGuild of New York.