A looming strike from technical workers at The New York Times could disrupt coverage and affect publishing quality on Election Day, one of the high web traffic days for the newspaper.
The 600-member Times Tech Guild union urged the paper’s board to “reach an agreement before the election in order to avert a strike” in a recent letter. They have been frustrated by slow contract negotiations since it was formed in 2022.
The Guild, comprising roles like software engineers and data analysts, is pressing for higher wages, better job protections, and flexible work policies. Times management has labeled the strike threat “arbitrary,” emphasizing that tech union members already earn some of the highest salaries at the paper.
While journalists and newsroom staff sympathize with the tech workers’ demands, they also worry the potential strike could compromise critical analysis tools, like “The Needle,” which predicts election results.