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New York Times journalists, staff hold strike, editors plan rally after labor dispute

The New York Times headquarters, 620 Eighth Avenue. [Photo: Wikimedia/ Ajay Suresh]

The Journalists and other staff of the New York Times walked off the job for 24 hours and held a strike after their talks on a new contract with the company failed to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

More than 1,100 employees of The New York Times were on a one-day strike on Thursday they cite the contract with the company that has dragged on for months in the newspaper’s biggest labor dispute in more than 40 years.

“Today we were ready to work for as long as it took to reach a fair deal, but management walked away from the table with five hours to go. It’s official: @NYTimesGuild members are walking out for 24 hours on Thursday. We know what we’re worth,” the Guild tweeted.

“We’re asking readers to not engage in any @nytimes platforms tomorrow and stand with us on the digital picket line! Read local news. Listen to public radio. Make something from a cookbook. Break your Wordle streak,” Amanda Hess, critic-at-large with The New York Times and second vice president of The NewsGuild, tweeted.

The NewsGuild said via Twitter that “management walked away from the table with five hours to go” before the planned strike.

“It’s never an easy decision to refuse to do work you love, but our members are willing to do what it takes to win a better newsroom for all,” The NewsGuild tweeted. “We know what we’re worth.”

As the earlier scheme of the employees expired last year in March 2021, employees claim the company has been dragging its feet over the demands they have put forth for their new contract.

According to an AP report, the NYT has offered to increase wages by 5.5% upon ratification of the contract, followed by 3% hikes in 2023 and 2024, which would be an increase from the 2.2% annual increases in the expired contract. The union, however, wants a 10% raise at ratification, to make up for the hikes not received over the past two years. It also wants that employees to be allowed the option of working from home sometimes if their roles allow it.

 

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