Hundreds of New York Times employees walked out of the newspaper’s Manhattan headquarters in a strike Monday morning — just one day before the general election.
The employees are members of the New York Times Tech Guild, a union that represents 600 software engineers and other IT workers tasked with maintaining the back-end systems that “power the paper’s extensive digital operations,” Fox News reported.
Video shared by the NewsGuild of New York shows the staffers picketing in front of the company’s skyscraper on Eighth Street, chanting, “Shut it down”:
The strike was planned in September after the union and company failed to reach an agreement.
Among the workers’ proposals obtained by Semafor are “a ban on scented products in break rooms, unlimited break time, and accommodations for pet bereavement, as well as mandatory trigger warnings in company meetings discussing events in the news.”
Other proposals from the union even included non-white staffers being paid more money to attend conferences — a move that would “likely violate employment laws,” according to the outlet, which reported that New York Times management has been “frustrated” by the outlandish nature of the demands.
With the New York Times having the most digital subscribers than any other U.S. newspaper, the impact on Election Day could be exceptionally wide.
In a Sunday email to staff, company management said that they had offered a “2.5 percent annual wage increase, a minimum 5 percent pay increase for promotions, and a $1,000 ratification bonus,” the publication reported of its internal communications.
The email also promised to maintain the pandemic-era hybrid work schedule of two in-office days per week through June, while allowing staff to work fully remotely for three weeks each year.
“They have left us no choice but to demonstrate the power of our labor on the picket line,” Kathy Zhang, the guild’s unit chair, said in a statement to the company. “Nevertheless, we stand ready to bargain and get this contract across the finish line.”
A spokesperson for the company told Fox News that management is “disappointed” that the walk-out came at such a crucial time.
“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,” spokesperson Danielle Rhoades-Ha said. “We’re in one of the most consequential periods of coverage for our readers and have robust plans in place to ensure that we are able to fulfill our mission and serve our readers. While we respect the union’s right to engage in protected actions, we’re disappointed that colleagues would strike at this time, which is both unnecessary and at odds with our mission.”
