Unionized New York Times employees gathered to protest outside the company’s 175th anniversary gala Thursday night, using the celebration to pressure management over health care costs and protections governing artificial intelligence.
Times Guild members distributed fliers to arriving guests outside Spring Studios in Manhattan while a digital billboard truck displayed messages about the contract dispute near the venue.
“Tonight the Times is celebrating its 175th anniversary,” Times Guild unit chair Jim Luttrell told TheWrap. “We’re here to remind the execs throwing this big bash that we are a crucial part of the company’s success and they should commit today to agreeing to a fair contract.”
The union said it represents more than 1,500 Times journalists, business employees and other workers and has been bargaining with management since January.
Health care is among the remaining points of contention. Employees and the company both contribute to a self-funded health benefit fund, and the Guild said management wants workers to shoulder more of the fund’s rising costs.
Union representatives were told during Wednesday’s bargaining session that employees would have to “dig deeper,” according to Luttrell.
“Telling us we have to dig deeper into our wallets shows where the Times’ priorities are,” he said.
The two sides are also divided over artificial intelligence. The Guild has proposed contractual guardrails intended to ensure human involvement in the company’s use of AI tools. Luttrell said the Times has not agreed to incorporate its existing internal AI policies into the union contract.
“Journalism for humans should be made by humans, not AI,” one of the messages displayed on the digital billboard truck reads. “But NYT bosses won’t commit to that basic idea in a contract.”
A Times spokesperson told TheWrap that the company has “been committed from the beginning to try and get to a fair contract quickly.”
“We remain committed to that, but negotiations happen at the negotiating table,” the spokesperson said. “Tonight is a moment to publicly stand up for quality, independent journalism and recognize the value our mission brings to society.”
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