HUNDREDS OF JOURNALISTS, WORKERS OF NYT ON 24-HOUR STRIKE FOR ‘BETTER NEWSROOM’

Thu 08 December 2022:

Hundreds of thousands of New York Times (NYT) journalists and employees have declared a 24-hour strike over wage issues and remote working policies.

The paper’s coverage would most likely suffer on Thursday because the majority of the employees who announced their strike are from the fast-paced live-news desk, which covers breaking news for the digital paper.

The New York Times has seen other, shorter walkouts in recent years, including a half-day protest in August by a new union representing technology workers who claimed unfair labour practices.

The NewsGuild of New York announced last week that employees of the New York Times would go on strike for 24 hours beginning at 12.01 a.m. (local time) on Thursday unless the two sides reached an agreement. Despite discussions on Tuesday and Wednesday, neither side was able to reach an agreement.

The NewsGuild tweeted on Thursday morning that workers “are now officially on work stoppage, the first of this scale at the company in 4 decades”.

“It’s never an easy decision to refuse to do work you love, but our members are willing to do what it takes to win a better newsroom for all,” it said.

Over 1,100 New York Times workers are now officially on work stoppage, the first of this scale at the company in 4 decades. It’s never an easy decision to refuse to do work you love, but our members are willing to do what it takes to win a better newsroom for all. #GuildStrong!

— NewsGuild of New York (@nyguild) December 8, 2022

The employees said that they were fed with the bargaining that has taken place since their last contract expired in March 2021.

Announcing their move, the union took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce that the walkout was happening.

“We were ready to work for as long as it took to reach a fair deal, but management walked away from the table with five hours to go,” it said.

“We know what we’re worth,” the union added.

NYT spokesperson Rhoades Ha told The Associated Press news agency that the company has “solid plans in place” to continue producing content, including relying on international reporters and other journalists who are not union members.

Deputy Managing Editor Cliff Levy, in a note to the guild on Tuesday night, called the planned strike “puzzling” and “an unsettling moment in negotiations over a new contract.”

He said it would be the first strike by the bargaining unit since 1981 and “comes despite intensifying efforts by the company to make progress.”

However, in a letter signed by more than 1,000 employees, the union said that the management has been “dragging its feet” bargaining for nearly two years and “time is running out to reach a fair contract” by the end of the year.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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