New York Times Guild
The New York Times Guild is the union of New York Times editorial, media, and tech professional workers, represented by NewsGuild since 1940. As of March 2022[update], the Times Tech Guild, is the largest tech union with collective bargaining rights in the United States.[1]
Guild[edit]
The Guild signed a contract in April 1941 for commercial department staff, and in August, was certified as the union for news and editorial workers.[2]
Times workers have a 35-hour week with eligibility for overtime on the 36th hour and time-and-a-half on the 40th hour. Most union workers work more than 35 hours.[3]
After 19 months of negotiation, the Guild approved a contract in late 2012 through March 2016 including modest raises and bonuses, a new pension plan, and continues their existing health plan.[4] As of 2021, the editorial union contained over 3,000 reporters and media professionals.[5]
The union staged a one-day walkout in December 2022, their first in over 40 years,[6][7][8][9] while negotiating wages and other issues as part of their contract renewal. Their prior contract had expired in March 2021.[10]
Tech[edit]
More than 600 tech workers of the Times announced their union as the Times Tech Guild in April 2021. Formed under NewsGuild, the union would include the newspaper's digital workers, including software developers, data analysts, designers,[5] and product managers. The Times declined to voluntarily recognize the union, sending the question to a formal vote facilitated by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).[11] On March 3, 2022, the tech workers voted 404 to 88 to certify the union. The bargaining unit is the largest American union of tech workers with bargaining rights. The Alphabet Workers Union is larger but is not recognized by the NLRB.[1]
During the union drive, NewsGuild filed an unfair labor practice claim in June 2021 in which the company told workers overseeing the work of interns that they were restricted from displaying union support. Reviewing the claim, the NLRB filed a complaint of interference in unionizing efforts, a violation of federal labor law. The case will be heard in March 2022.[11]
In 2019, the New York Times Company voluntarily recognized a separate union representing tech workers at Wirecutter.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Robertson, Katie (March 3, 2022). "New York Times Tech Workers Vote to Certify Union". The New York Times. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ "'Times' Labor Board Case Is Ended by Stipulation: Guild to Withdraw Charges, Halting Court Action". New York Herald Tribune. October 15, 1941. p. 11. ProQuest 1259386414.
- ^ Byers, Dylan (March 28, 2012). "NY Times Guild members win their 35 hours". Politico. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ Mirkinson, Jack (November 13, 2012). "NY Times Staffers Vote To Ratify New Contract". HuffPost. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ a b Brandom, Russell (April 13, 2021). "Tech workers at The New York Times have formed a union". The Verge. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- ^ Bruell, Alexandra (December 8, 2022). "New York Times Staffers to Stage First Strike in Over 40 Years Thursday". WSJ. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- ^ Bruell, Alexandra (December 8, 2022). "New York Times Staffers Go on One-Day Strike Amid Stalled Contract Talks". WSJ. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- ^ McCreesh, Shawn (December 8, 2022). "Just What Did the Times Walkout Change?". Intelligencer. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- ^ Malone, Clare (December 11, 2022). "The Economics at the Heart of the Times Union Standoff". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X.
- ^ Darcy, Oliver (December 7, 2022). "The New York Times is bracing for a historic mass walkout as union negotiations go down to the wire". CNN. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- ^ a b Raymond, Nate (January 6, 2022). "New York Times interfered with union activism, U.S. labor agency alleges". Reuters.
Further reading[edit]
- "THE CITY; Times Guild Unit To Vote on Pact". The New York Times. January 26, 1984. ISSN 0362-4331.
- Alund, Natalie Neysa (September 14, 2022). "'I don't need cute trinkets': Nearly 1,300 New York Times staffers refuse to return to office". USA Today. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- Campbell, Andy (June 29, 2017). "New York Times Employees Walk Out As Layoffs Loom". HuffPost. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- Fischer, Sara (August 23, 2022). "Scoop: NYT union floods management with coordinated emails". Axios. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- Harnett, Sam (April 13, 2021). "The Biggest Tech Unionization Effort Is Happening at the New York Times". KQED. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- Iafolla, Robert (April 22, 2021). "NLRB Next Stop for New York Times Tech Workers' Union Campaign". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- "New York Times tech workers to strike over return-to-office rules". Reuters. October 31, 2023.
- "NLRB Rules Against The Times; Guild Case Goes to the Courts". The New York Times. The United Press. August 27, 1940. ISSN 0362-4331.
- Smalley, Seth (June 3, 2021). "New York Times Workers Are Fed Up With the New York Times' Union-Busting". Vice. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- Eidelson, Josh (June 8, 2021). "New York Times Made Staff Nix Pro-Union Images, Guild Says". Bloomberg.com.
- Castronuovo, Celine (June 8, 2021). "Union accuses New York Times of unfair labor practices". TheHill. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- Robertson, Katie (December 14, 2021). "Wirecutter Union reaches a deal with The New York Times Company". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
- Klein, Charlotte (September 27, 2022). "'We Are Going to Drag Our Editors Into This': The New York Times' Labor Fight Is Demoralizing the Newsroom". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 28, 2022.