The New York Times Tech Union Calls Off Strike Without Reaching an Agreement
The New York Times Tech Union Calls Off Strike Without Reaching an Agreement
In September, the New York Times Tech Guild gave the green light for a walkout against the publication. Kathy Zhang, a Senior Analytics Manager at the paper, stated, "We're sending a powerful message to Times management with our vote today. Our labor contributes significantly to this company's success. Our union reps have earned a reasonable contract, and we're ready to do whatever it takes to get it." The guild, which represents approximately 6,000 employees, including data analysts, software engineers, and other IT professionals backing the digital operations of the paper, aimed to use the walkout as leverage to persuade management to sit down for contract negotiations.
The strike started on November 4th. During the action, workers paraded with signs outside the New York headquarters of the paper while the Guild urged readers to avoid engaging with any of the paper's online offerings (such as their assortment of mobile games) maintained by Guild members.
However, after approximately a week, the Guild decided to call off the strike. No new contract has been inked, and it's unclear what advancements have been made aside from briefly hindering the paper's news coverage.
The timing of the strike was criticized, as it clashed with the final stages of the U.S. presidential election, thereby eroding the newspaper's capacity to report on the election's conclusion. This maneuver was intended as a bargaining strategy to attract the paper's executives to the negotiating table; however, its effectiveness seems questionable.
Not every union member was in agreement with the strike tactics. Business Insider reported that "numerous" union members disregarded the picket line. Citing sources with insight into the strike, BI stated that around 100 of the Guild's 600 members actually worked on Election Day. Ultimately, the paper was still able to deploy its widely recognized election night "needle," forecasting the winner of the presidential race and reliant on the efforts of the paper's tech workers.
Gizmodo reached out to the Tech Guild for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.
According to Business Insider, not all employees at the Times are fully supportive of the Tech Guild's objectives. BI reported that "certain Times journalists (represented by a distinct unit of the same News Guild of New York)" have previously expressed indifference towards the tech workers, given their relatively high salaries and the potential impact of the strike on the outlet's core journalism mission.
The Guild's future actions might involve more negotiations to secure a contract, leveraging their technological expertise and the value they bring to the publication. Despite the controversy, the tech team's role in the election coverage demonstrated their indispensable contribution to the Times' digital operations.