New Delhi: In what would be the first strike of its sort at The New York Times in more than 40 years, hundreds of journalists and other workers at the newspaper started a 24-hour walkout on Thursday.
Newsroom employees and other members of The NewsGuild of New York said they are frustrated with bargaining that has dragged on since their contract ended in March 2021, the news agency Associated Press reported.
The union declared last week that more than 1,100 employees would go on strike for 24 hours beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday unless both parties reached an agreement.
The NewsGuild tweeted 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.”
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
Negotiations took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the sides remained far apart on issues including wage increases and remote-work policies, AP reported.
The union on Wednesday said via Twitter that a deal had not been reached and the walkout was happening. “We were ready to work for as long as it took to reach a fair deal,” it said, “but management walked away from the table with five hours to go.”
“We know what we’re worth,” the union added.
But New York Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha said in a statement that they were still in negotiations when they were told that the strike was happening, as reported by AP.
“It is disappointing that they are taking such an extreme action when we are not at an impasse,” she said.
Since the strike’s supporters include members of the fast-paced live-news desk, which covers breaking news for the digital paper, it was unclear how Thursday’s coverage would be affected with their absence from the newsroom. It was reported that the employees were planning a rally for that afternoon outside the newspaper’s offices near Times Square.
Rhoades Ha told The Associated Press 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.
According to the AP, in a note sent to guild-represented staff on Tuesday night, Deputy Managing Editor Cliff Levy called the planned strike “puzzling” and “an unsettling moment in negotiations over a new contract.”
He further said that it would be the first strike by the bargaining unit since 1981 and “comes despite intensifying efforts by the company to make progress.”
But in a letter signed by more than 1,000 employees, the NewsGuild said 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.
The NewsGuild also said the company has told the employees planning to strike that they would not get paid for the duration of the walkout. Members were also asked to work extra hours to get work done ahead of the strike, according to the union.
In one breakthrough that both sides called significant, the company backed off its proposal to replace the existing adjustable pension plan with an enhanced 401 (k) retirement plan. The Times offered instead to let the union choose between the two. The company also agreed to expand fertility treatment benefits.
Levy said the company has also offered to raise wages by 5.5% upon ratification of the contract, followed by 3% hikes in 2023 and 2024. That would be an increase from the 2.2% annual hike in the expired contract, the AP reported.
Stacy Cowley, a finance reporter and union representative, said the union is seeking 10% pay raises at ratification, which she said would make up for raises not received over the past two years.
She also said the union wants the contract to guarantee employees the option to work remotely some of the time, if their roles allow for it, but the company wants the right to recall workers to the office full-time. Cowley said the Times has required its staff to be in the office three days a week but many have been showing up less often in an informal protest.
(With inputs from AP)