Members of the New York Times Tech Guild went on strike Monday after months of contentious contract talks with the newspaper’s leadership.
According to the NewsGuild, which represents the Tech Guild and many other unions attached to the NYT, the union decided to strike due to alleged unfair labor practices and stalled contract negotiations.
“This unfair labor practice strike by tech workers at The New York Times is a direct result of management’s decision to undervalue their labor as a contract negotiation strategy,” said Susan DeCarava, president of the NewsGuild of New York. “We have been sounding the alarm for weeks and cleared out schedules to get this contract done before the election week deadline.”
Members of the Tech Guild manage the technical aspects of the NYT’s website, including maintaining infographics, push alerts and its games. According to the union, the Tech Guild represents around 600 NYT staffers.
Without Tech Guild members working Tuesday, the paper could struggle to maintain up-to-date election information as millions of U.S. citizens cast votes in the presidential election.
Before the strike, the paper said it had robust protocols in case of a work stoppage to ensure its coverage was accurate and helpful for readers.
“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,” a Times spokesperson said in a statement. “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.”
Tech Guild workers took to social media Monday, urging readers to not cross the digital picket line by playing any of the NYT’s popular games like Wordle and Spelling Bee.
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