‘We Can't Do Our Jobs Without the Tech Guild:’ Nearly 750 in NY Times newsroom sign pledge of support

As the Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger and managers continue to stall and refuse marathon bargaining, NYT journalists show their full support for Tech and urge management to avert a strike.

10/21/2024

NEW YORK – Nearly 750 New York Times journalists and Times Guild members signed a new pledge pressing the Times’s management to bargain and reach a contract deal with the Times Tech Guild by Election Day.

The pledge is addressed to A.G. Sulzberger, publisher; Meredith Kopit Levien, CEO; and Joseph Kahn, executive editor. The leadership of the Times Guild forwarded a copy of the pledge to those executives today. 

“We, the Times Guild, strongly urge you to get a deal done by Election Day, something that is entirely within your power. The work and reputation of The Times are on the line. Tech workers deserve a strong union contract that reflects the immense value their work brings to The Times. We stand with our Tech colleagues in their fight to better their workplace now and for future generations,” the pledge reads. 

The Times Tech Guild – the union that includes software engineers, product managers, data analysts, project managers and designers at The New York Times – voted to authorize a strike on Sept. 10. Nearly half of the union’s 600 members work directly on election-critical programs and projects. 

Since announcing their intention to strike,  Tech Guild members have been clear with management that they are ready to bargain until a deal is reached. Unfortunately, as they have throughout the history of the Tech Guild, company reps indicated that they plan to continue the slow pace of bargaining and will not commit to schedule adequate bargaining time. 

In the month of September, management only committed to 7 hours of on-the-record bargaining. The Tech Guild emailed Sulzberger, requesting he attend bargaining to demonstrate his commitment to getting the contract completed. In an Oct. 8 response, he declined. 

“It is our expectation that Times management will listen to what our members are saying in this pledge and have been saying since our Times Tech siblings took their strike authorization vote,” said Bill Baker, Times Guild unit chair. “Bargain now. Honor your commitment to our readers. Clear your schedules and meet with our Tech Guild colleagues so a strike can be averted and a fair contract reached.”  

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