As a result of the New York Times’ refusal to agree to calls for pay increases, more than a thousand employees will participate in a 24-hour protest.
There will be a walkout of about 1,100 employees. The company’s senior executives, who disregarded the union’s requests, are among many who hope to draw their attention. In front of the Times’ Manhattan offices, the walkout will start at 1 PM. The Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones is among the well-known figures from the firm who will be there during the strike.
“It’s disappointing that they’re taking such drastic action,” said the Times CEO Meredith Kopit Levien.
“[It serves as a] clear commitment we’ve shown to negotiate our way to a contract that provides Times journalists with substantial pay increases, market-leading benefits, and flexible working conditions,” she added.
“From my point of view, this is an absolutely necessary shot across the bow. We’re approaching two years without a contract, which means we’re approaching two years without a raise. So each month that goes by, they’re taking more money out of our pocket,” said Michael Powell, an employee in the Times.
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The Times need to cooperate
According to union members, the corporation listened to their requests despite not wanting to. For example, the Times rejected requests to increase staff compensation, despite the company’s stock price increasing recently. With 15 subscribers anticipated across the nation, the company’s digital subscription profits will stay high until 2027. Additionally, with the $550 million purchase of the Athletic, the corporation has entered new revenue-generating projects.
“We remain committed to working with the NYT NewsGuild to reach a contract that we can all be proud of,” spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha of the Times said.
“Still, management believes that with a renewed commitment to productive negotiations on both sides, we can make significant strides toward a contract,” added Deputy Managing Editor Cliff Levy.
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More protests from journalists
The planned strike will come before any previous strikes that Times employees have participated in for years. As the firm has seen tremendous success in recent years, journalists suggested that it distribute its fortune to its employees. The Times would reject the business’s most valuable asset if their demands were denied. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was the target of a strike by journalists simultaneously.
“Our salaries have gone steadily, year by year, backward against inflation [for decades]. It’s just reached the point where folks are saying enough. We’re lucky to be working for a paper that’s making money. And that’s doing well. And we are some of the reasons it’s doing well,” said a journalist.
“They have no desire even to meet their workers part-way. The company has not even acknowledged the strike, other than to say we’re welcome back to work at any time — and to make no concessions,” said another reporter who also attends another strike in Pittsburgh.
“A loss isn’t even on our mind. We’ve had three negotiating sessions since we went out on strike, and they’ve made no concessions. There’s no getting around that. But to make John and Alan Block listen to us is going to take a big effort like this,” he adds.
Photo Credit: Mario Tama
Source: NPR
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