More than 1,000 members of the New York Times Guild signed a pledge Friday that they would “walk out” of the newspaper if it doesn’t agree to a contract including higher pay, pensions and health care funding.
The union gave the Times until Dec. 8 to agree to a “complete and fair contract” for its employees based on over a year and a half of negotiations within the company.
“We want raises that reflect our contribution to the company’s success, but the @nytimes has given us lunch boxes and excuses about economic uncertainty,” a NYT Guild Twitter account wrote, referencing branded lunch boxes the newspaper gave out to get staff back into the office after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Union members demanded fair wages, a sustainable health care fund, retirement contributions, remote work allowance and an unbiased performance ratings system, pledging to stop work for 24 hours if the stipulations are not met.
The walkout pledge referenced expensive purchases by the Times including of Wordle and The Athletic, criticizing leadership for devoting funds there rather than investing in employees.
Signers claimed that the wage increases offered by the company “amount to pay cuts during record-high inflation.”
They also highlighted “persistent racial disparities” found in performance evaluations, saying that New York Times management had refused to reform their practices despite inequities being brought to their attention.
“A majority of us have come together to take this step, which is not one we take lightly,” reads the pledge.
“If management won’t offer us a fair contract, soon, we are ready to show them that there is no New York Times without us.”
The Guild’s move follows growing turmoil within fellow media companies due to pay cuts and inequities.
Hundreds of employees across 14 newsrooms from media company Gannett went on strike last month calling for better pay and benefits.
Shortly after, reports found that the corporation’s President Maribel Perez Wadsworth would step down at the end of the year, likely related to huge financial losses and other controversy.
Gannett also executed an its third round of layoffs since August, according to reports from multiple outlets, including Poynter.