New York Times Tech Workers Go on Strike, Impacting Election Coverage

New York Times tech workers, represented by the New York Times Tech Guild, have gone on strike, affecting the media giant’s ability to cover the 2024 presidential election. The strike, which began on Monday and continued into Election Day, involves approximately 600 union members who are responsible for managing the Times’ website, live blogs, news alerts, and the iconic election needle.

The tech workers are demanding higher pay rates, pay equity, remote work protections, and protection from being arbitrarily fired, known as “just cause” clauses. These demands have been ongoing for over two years, with negotiations failing to yield a satisfactory contract. “We don’t want words, we don’t want to be just told we’re valued. We want to see it in the contract,” said software engineer Carrie Price.

The strike has significant implications for the Times’ election coverage, particularly the election needle, a key feature that provides real-time election results. The availability of the needle is uncertain due to the strike, with Nate Cohn, the Times’ lead political analyst, expressing doubts about its operation.

The workers have been picketing outside the Times’ headquarters at 242 West 41st Street, starting each day at 9 a.m. They are also calling on the public to support their strike by boycotting the Times’ online games and other digital content. The strike has garnered support from other union members and colleagues within the newsroom and advertising departments.

A spokesperson for the New York Times expressed disappointment with the timing of the strike, emphasizing that the tech staff are already among the highest-paid employees in the company. However, the union members argue that their demands are essential and that the company’s refusal to meet them has left them no choice but to strike.