New York Times Tech Staffers Strike Before Election Day
One staffer: “Today I’m supposed to be in the NYT newsroom putting the finishing touches on a system pushing live election updates to your phone. But NYT management refuses to give us the same just cause protection our NewsGuild peers have so @NYTGuildTech is on strike.”
This morning, the New York Times tech staff, which includes software developers and data analysts, went on strike.
The strike could affect the paper’s coverage of Election Day:
The two sides negotiated until late Sunday. The sticking points in recent days were over whether they could get a “just cause” provision in their contract, which means workers can be terminated only for misconduct or another such reason; pay increases and pay equity; and return-to-office policies.
Times management said in an email to workers on Sunday that it had offered a 2.5 percent annual wage increase, a minimum 5 percent pay increase for promotions and a $1,000 ratification bonus. It also said that the company would maintain its current in-office work requirements of two days a week through June 2025, while allowing employees to work fully remotely for three weeks per year.
The protests started at 9 AM ET.
“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, announced. “Nevertheless, we stand ready to bargain and get this contract across the finish line.”
“We are disappointed that the Tech Guild leadership is attempting to jeopardize our journalistic mission at this critical time,” said Hannah Yang, the NY Times’ chief growth and customer officer, and Jason Sobel, the chief technology officer.
After our Bargaining Committee continued to push for a fair contract over the weekend, management still refused to get serious and make a deal. Therefore, we are going on a ULP strike. See you on the picket line ✊https://t.co/lms4PNbLNT
— New York Times Tech Guild (@NYTGuildTech) November 4, 2024
ULP STRIKE ALERT (Thread, 1 of 4): Our @NYTGuildTech members have walked off the job despite making every effort to negotiate with management. Our members know their worth and they will prove that at the picket line today. Read more here…. pic.twitter.com/FaPtLCwW9J
— NewsGuild of New York (@nyguild) November 4, 2024
(3 of 4) While @NYTGuildTech is out on this ULP strike, we want @NYTimes subscribers to not play any of the Times games like Wordle or Connections or use the Cooking App because doing so would cross the digital picket line…….
— NewsGuild of New York (@nyguild) November 4, 2024
Today I’m supposed to be in the NYT newsroom putting the finishing touches on a system pushing live election updates to your phone.
But NYT management refuses to give us the same just cause protection our NewsGuild peers have so @NYTGuildTech is on strike https://t.co/cr7HIh73oM
— Alastair Coote (@_alastair) November 4, 2024
We’re on strike at the New York Times. No playing Wordle, the crossword or any of the games. Stand with @NYTGuildTech in demanding a fair first contract! https://t.co/fJM6iwL81W
— Jon Schleuss supports PittsburghPG strikers (@gaufre) November 4, 2024
Hi all. I'm Robert, a lead product designer at NYT Games. My coworkers @NYTGuildTech and I are on strike for a fair contract–we're asking that in solidarity you don't play any of our games today: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, etc. Break your streak! https://t.co/3lhomNAJMV
— Robert Vinluan (@RobertVinluan) November 4, 2024
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Comments
So….what? They don’t want to post election results? Weird.
I once took over a lease on a business premises that was previously a pet shop (qua illegal apartment conversion), from which its hippie proprietor was being evicted for nonpayment. Disgustingly filthy and smelly, flying animal crap on the walls and floors. When the hippie realized too late that the owner was serious about the eviction, he had nowhere to unload his livestock, including over 100 fancy rats (pets or snake food, whichever you needed). So he just let the rats go loose into the neighborhood. For the first couple weeks, they would come back into their old home, looking for food and water, crapping all over my equipment and chewing my cartons. I finally had enough, so I bought a bucket of poison bait blocks and began laying them around the various rooms. I was astounded when I entered one room (where I discovered the hole to the outside was) and the little mice began approaching me, standing up on their hind legs, practically lining up, begging, “give me one of those!” With each block I handed out, they fought each other over who would get to take the poison home with them. It was like the French Revolution had come to Disneyland.
Anyway, I recount this reminiscence because after reading this story about the commies eating each other at the NY Times, I was immediately reminded me of this quaint animal behavior.
Bravo, Henry! You out did yourself!
That’s the plan, right? The election results must be postponed until the NYT strike is resolved. More time to add provisional and absentee harvested ballots.
Not gonna matter. They’re primed to steal it outright tomorrow night. Harris ‘wins’. 272-267
Like I have been saying for some time now
what happens when the msm CHOOSES what news to tell us
well they already do that
so the next step
how about when they decide to say ,,as an example,,biden won when in fact he didnt
happened with dewey vs truman
and now we have a wayyyy more aggressive partisan left wing media who knows that especially in this day and age where they have lost power to
social media
they have to stand out and make a difference to satisfy their egos
I mean bragging to your friends that you helped fix the election or withheld info or gave false info
“for the cause” is high status
John Galt appears in a Pierre Delecto manner.
I’m trying hard, with unsure results, to care.
.
Me too.
“we’re asking that in solidarity you don’t play any of our games today: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, etc. Break your streak!”
Eh? What’s that you say, whippersnapper? Break your strike? Well, OK, if you insist!
this is how cnn (nyt kid sista) describes the whole election:
This election has been a tale of unexpected events, featuring a convicted felon who survived two assassination attempts,
an aging president who ditched his bid for a second term a few months before Election Day,
and a vice president handed an 11th hour mission to save the White House from a rival who Democrats see as a wannabe tyrant.
people still read the NY slimes..
who knew …
Shutter the whole paper and lay them all off, alongside the ‘journalists’
Better: Izvestia on the Hudson.
This was supposed to be a reply to jqusnr.
Like Reagan did when the air traffic controllers went on their illegal strike. Ronnie brought in military ATCs and the system didn’t even hiccup.
And then he fired every one of the strikers for breaking their no-strike contracts. I remember seeing a photo of their union president with a totally puzzled look on his face, obviously wondering “what just happened?” Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
It’s too bad it was only the Tech Guild.
If it had been a general strike, emptying the building, it would be our turn to debate in serious tones, “It would be OK because you know they have fire insurance.”
So does this mean the NYT won’t be able to report on the election very well? Will those seeking news be forced to go elsewhere e.g. Fox, Newsmax, or well (frankly I’ve no idea)?
If so kudos to these NYT staff. Stick it to the NYT. Let real news companies handle the election news! 🙂
I suspect this isn’t about labor at all. This is about preventing the problem we saw several times in 2020 where live results were altered in Biden’s favor. Hundreds of thousands of votes disappeared from Trump’s ledger and were added to Biden’s. This way they can just give you the final total as fait accompli.