The New York Times faces a potential shutdown on Election Day as its Tech Guild has threatened to go on strike unless contract negotiations reach a resolution. This would mean that on one of the most critical news days in the U.S., the newspaper’s website could go offline, limiting readers’ access to up-to-the-minute election coverage and analysis. On Friday, the Tech Guild sent a letter to the Times’ Board of Directors, urging them to finalize an agreement by Election Day to prevent disruptions.
The New York Times Tech Guild, which represents around 700 tech workers within the organization, has been bargaining with Times management for three years. The Guild’s demands center on improved job security, fair wages, reasonable hours, and robust benefits, as well as commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The union asserts that the company’s bargaining representatives have been uncooperative on key issues, pushing them to the brink of a strike.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT, @nytimes!!
We’re at Grand Army Plaza today, Scabby in tow, to warn NYC that their hometown paper is at risk of shutting down — unless we get the contract we deserve! 🔥✊🔥 pic.twitter.com/h6d8Xnsio8
— New York Times Tech Guild (@NYTGuildTech) November 2, 2024
The Tech Guild has been making its stance public over recent weeks, with union representatives posting regular updates about the stalemate on social media. Last Friday, the Guild shared their letter to the Board of Directors online, accusing Times negotiators of failing to meet workers’ needs in “good faith.”
This morning, our bargaining committee sent a letter to the members of the @NYTimes board of directors, informing them that Times representatives have demonstrated an unwillingness at the table to be reasonable on key contract demands. pic.twitter.com/l5LhPyrHz1
— New York Times Tech Guild (@NYTGuildTech) November 1, 2024
The union previously authorized a strike in September, signaling the growing discontent among tech staff and heightening the pressure on Times management. In the letter, the Guild emphasized the urgency of reaching an agreement, stating that failure to do so would result in a “painful and costly strike” timed with Election Day. “We want to reach an agreement and believe it is possible with a good faith management partner,” the letter reads. “We need to reach an agreement before the election to avert a strike.”
The letter specifically calls on Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger and other members of the senior management to resolve “unfair labor practices” and secure a contract before Election Day to avoid a walkout. According to the Guild, the timing is critical, as a strike would affect millions of readers relying on The New York Times for up-to-the-minute coverage on one of the nation’s most significant political events.
Responding to the Guild’s letter, a New York Times spokesperson told The Hill that the company remains committed to working with the union to avoid a strike, noting that the Guild members are “among the highest-paid individual contributors in the Company.”
The spokesperson acknowledged the potential impact of a strike, particularly during a high-stakes election period. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Tech Guild to reach a fair contract, that takes into account that they are already among the highest-paid individual contributors in the Company and journalism is our top priority,” the statement read.
The Times spokesperson emphasized that the newspaper’s coverage is essential, especially if the election results are inconclusive on Election Night, as was the case in the 2020 presidential race. The absence of the Times’ digital news coverage, they argued, would leave a critical gap in trusted reporting and analysis at a pivotal moment. “There is no outlet that provides The Times’s depth of reporting and analysis — something that will be even more essential to our readers and the country if, as in 2020, the election fails to produce a clear result until days or weeks after Election Day,” the spokesperson stated.
The Times also took issue with the timing of the strike threat, describing it as “arbitrary” and a unilateral decision by Guild leadership. “While we respect the union’s right to engage in protected actions, threatening a strike at this time feels both unnecessary and at odds with our mission,” the spokesperson said.
This labor dispute at one of the nation’s most prominent newspapers underscores the growing tension between media companies and their technical staff, as tech workers increasingly demand recognition and fair treatment in an industry known for its rigorous demands and tight deadlines. Although New York Times journalists have gone on strike in the past, this potential strike would mark a rare walkout by the organization’s tech employees, whose work is crucial for keeping the site operational and for ensuring uninterrupted digital coverage, particularly during events as consequential as a national election.
The escalating standoff between the Times management and the Guild reflects a broader trend in labor activism across media and tech companies, as employees push for improved working conditions amid rising concerns about job security and corporate accountability. Should the strike proceed, it would impact millions of readers and potentially shift the dynamics of Election Day media coverage.
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“This would mean that on one of the most critical news days in the U.S., the newspaper’s website could go offline”
Someone explain to me how this is a bad thing??
“A major new study out of Harvard University has revealed the true extent of the mainstream media’s bias against Donald Trump. Academics at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy analyzed coverage from Trump’s first 100 days in office across 10 major TV and print outlets. They found that the tone of some outlets was negative in as many as 98% of reports, significantly more hostile than the first 100 days of the three previous administrations.”
“A Gallup survey released on Wednesday shows that the majority of Americans have little to no trust that the media will report stories “fully, accurately, and fairly.”
“Americans’ trust in the media to report the news accurately and fairly has dropped to a record low of 31%, according to a Gallup poll released Monday. Only 9 percent of Americans surveyed said that they had “a great deal” of trust in the media.”
If you can’t figure out how to get election coverage from anywhere but the NY Times, you must be a brain dead leftist.