New York Times Tech Employees Strike On Eve Of U.S. Election

Hundreds of employees from the New York Times, represented by the Times Tech Guild, have initiated a strike just one day before the 2024 U.S. elections. 

The Tech Guild, affiliated with the NewsGuild of New York, includes over 600 engineers, data managers, designers, software developers, and other tech personnel responsible for the systems that power the newspaper’s website and applications.

This strike marks a significant moment in labor history; if it continues into Tuesday, it will be the first such work stoppage coinciding with a presidential election since the 1964 Detroit newspaper strike. 

The tech union has expressed concerns about management’s failure to adequately address critical issues, despite the risk of disrupting election coverage. They have filed unfair labor practice charges against the Times, citing numerous violations of labor law, according to Variety. 

The work stoppage began at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, following multiple rounds of intense bargaining without resolution. The Tech Guild is planning picketing activities daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Times’ 8th Avenue entrance. 

They are asking readers to respect the digital picket line by refraining from using popular apps like Wordle and the NYT Cooking app during the strike.

Kathy Zhang, a senior analytics manager at the Times and chair of the Tech Guild, stated, “Our union members and bargaining committee have done everything possible to avoid this ULP strike. But management is more willing to risk our election coverage than to agree to a fair deal.” 

She added that the union remains ready to negotiate.

In response, Danielle Rhoades Ha, the Times’ SVP of external communications, emphasized the company’s commitment to reaching a fair contract while maintaining that its employees are among the highest-paid in the industry. 

She expressed disappointment that the strike is occurring during such a crucial time for election coverage.

The strike announcement coincided with the Times’ third-quarter earnings report, revealing an increase of approximately 260,000 net digital-only subscribers, bringing the total to over 11 million. Total revenue rose 7% to $640.2 million, and net income increased 20% to $64.1 million.

Key unresolved issues for the Tech Guild include remote/hybrid work protections, “just cause” job protections similar to those held by newsroom staff, limits on subcontracting, and pay equity. The union alleges that management has engaged in various labor law violations, including imposing return-to-office mandates without negotiation.

“I’m disappointed and tired that our management, after 2+ years, decided to not work in good faith to come to a fair deal that honors our labor,” Shaka C, a Senior Software Engineer at The New York Times, said on LinkedIn.

The Times has countered the union’s claims by asserting that it offered similar “just cause” provisions recently agreed upon by the NewsGuild for Wirecutter workers. The company maintains its policy of requiring employees to work in the office twice a week through June 2025 while allowing three weeks of fully remote work per year.

Regarding compensation, the Times argues that the Tech Guild’s original demands would have significantly increased costs, proposing instead a 2.5% annual wage increase, a minimum 5% increase for promotions, and a $1,000 ratification bonus. The average total compensation for Tech Guild members is reported to be $190,000, notably higher than that of their journalist counterparts.

As the strike unfolds, the situation highlights ongoing tensions between labor and management within one of the nation’s leading news organizations during a pivotal electoral period.