The union representing some 600 software engineers and other tech employees at the New York Times said it has struck a tentative deal on a new three-year contract — just a month after they briefly walked out on the job during Election Day.
The Times Tech Guild, which is part of the NewsGuild of New York, claimed victory on Wednesday, saying that it wrung concessions from management including “just cause” protections against layoffs as well as “guarantee[d] annual raises for our members.”
The strike was declared after more than two years of negotiations that included unusual demands like job security for non-citizens in the US on work visas and mandatory trigger warnings during company meetings that involve discussions of news events.
“These first contract wins set a strong foundation for job protections that our colleagues will build upon for generations,” Kathy Zhang, a senior analytics manager at the Times who also serves as unit chair of the Tech Guild, said in a statement.
Tech workers at the Gray Lady will receive pay increases of up to 8.25% “that prioritize the largest wage increases for the lowest paid members over the life of the contract,” according to the union.
The guild also said that it won “important protections that lock in guardrails on additional variable compensation” such as stocks and bonuses.
Tech employees at the newspaper also secured “language guaranteeing flexible hybrid work schedules” as well as “improved protections for workers on visas.”
“We not only won a first contract that set new standards for workers within the New York Times, but we’ve also established a strong foundation for what is possible for tech workers in the future when they organize and bargain collectively,” said Susan DeCarava, president of NewsGuild of New York.
The Tech Guild members will vote to ratify the contract on Dec. 19.
When reached by The Post, Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha said: “We’re pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the Tech Guild.”
The week-long strike in November was initiated a day before the presidential election by workers including software engineers, designers and product managers amid stalled contract negotiations over pay and job security.
The union said the strike had its intended impact on the Times’ election coverage, which did not include a “state-level or non-presidential” live needle, which gauges a candidate’s odds of winning an election in real time.
The Times disputed the claim.
With Post Wires
