Year-long contract battles among media companies Coming to a breaking point in 2024, unions from the New York Times, NBC and Forbes issued warnings to leaders about their intentions during major company events in recent months.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the biggest moments:
New York Times Technology Association
The New York Times‘ Our ability to provide election day reporting and analysis is in jeopardy during this year’s election week. Hundreds of disgruntled tech workers at the newspaper giant went on strike to protest ongoing clashes with management, citing “unfair labor practices.”
Starting on November 4th, the day before the 2024 elections, the New York Times Tech Guild announced that it would be holding a strike that would last for a week. The technology guild voted to incorporate in March 2022 and has been in negotiations with leaders for more than two and a half years to secure a contract.
This year, the New York Times Tech Guild protested over “Unfair labor practices” (Fox News Digital)
Tech Guild’s 600 members are responsible for the backend systems that power the document’s comprehensive digital operations. They work in the engineering, product, design, data and project management offices.
NEW YORK TIMES TECH workers continue strike, GUILD targets high-paid CEO MEREDITH KOPIT
during election week Dressed in red, Times staffers marched and chanted outside the newspaper’s Midtown Manhattan offices alongside the word “Scabby,” a giant inflatable rat that is a symbol of a labor dispute in New York City. Located outside 620 Eighth Avenue.
“We are no joke. We are not playing,” the guild leader told the crowd on 1 Nov. 4.
A company spokesperson told the New York Times previously. Fox News Digital that the newspaper was “disappointed” in the timing of the strike
New York Times tech employees protest (Fox News)
At stake is the Times’ famous “Election Needle,” which will show the likelihood of a Trump or Harris win. The spike was finally published on the NYT’s website, though a little later than last year. But there was no live broadcast of state-level or non-presidential pins on election night.
Additionally, due to the protests, IOS News is periodically not displaying ads. As a result, the company lost significant revenue. Apps and websites load slowly Publishing issues led to error messages for readers of articles and updates, and Times subscribers received hundreds of thousands of emails with broken links, according to a NYT Tech Guild announcement.
However, a Times spokesperson said of the newspaper’s election week coverage that “It was the smoothest website ever during the election,” according to a statement from Fox News Digital.
The rise of digital audio and communication separated into two parts It brings doomsday predictions for traditional media.
After one week of strike New York Times tech workers also return to work without contracts But on Dec. 11, the NewsGuild of New York, represented by the Times Tech Guild, reached an agreement on a three-year contract after the union’s weeklong strike in November.
Members of the New York Times news department stand in solidarity with tech workers striking on Election Day 2024. (Fox News Digital)
NBC Digital Union
NBC’s digital workers also took action this year to try to sign a contract with a newly formed media union. On the evening of November 21, the group beamed a scathing message at 30 Rock, attacking the company’s leaders for dragging their feet on promises.
NBC Digital NewsGuild, the collective bargaining unit of New York’s NewsGuild, issued the demand. NBC News Executives who are accused of having “Illegal behavior” by lighting a “Breaking News” message on the company’s flagship building in midtown Manhattan
NBC Digital NewsGuild, which represents journalists, editors, designers, video journalists animator Social media strategist and NBC News Digital’s editorial staff are negotiating their first contract since the group came together in 2019.
Hundreds of NEW YORK TIMES tech workers go on strike ahead of Election Day.
The speculation specifically targets NBCUniversal News Group President Cesar Conde, as well as NBC News Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Blumenstein, Executive Vice President of Programming Janelle Rodriguez, News Executive Vice President Catherine Kim and TODAY and Libby Executive Vice Presidents. Lifestyle Leist for Tactical Engagement That they say violates labor law, including firing more than 20 union journalists without collective bargaining and retaliating against union members who engage in protected activity.
“Cesar Conde and his leadership team have a bad habit of breaking the law,” video editor and union leader Tate James said. said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “But now he’s facing a newsroom full of journalists who are fed up with working without contracts and are trying to fire their bosses in court. NBC News executives are obsessed with shareholder value. But they have no respect for the workers who created it. We deserve a fair contract. And we will not back down from this fight until we have a contract.”
In addition, in 2021, National Labor Relations Board NBC was found to have illegally withheld more than $350,000 in funding from union journalists. According to a press release shared with Fox News Digital, the union has not yet reached an agreement with union management.
Forbes Union
Forbes Union, which was founded in recent years, resigned on December 3, 2024, an important day for the company.
The union representing the magazine’s editorial team A warning has been issued to the administration. The strike is scheduled to take place on the same day as the release of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list, which includes 20 of the 30 most influential people under 30 years of age. Get recognized for your achievements in various industries.
Union members who say they are fighting for fair wages, reductions in force and layoff protections said. Fox News Digital That executive has been stuck at the negotiating table for nearly three years.
Forbes union calls on companies to stop pulling people out of bargaining units “Illegally and unilaterally”
A spokesperson for Forbes Union told Fox News Digital that management falsely claimed that some Forbes Union members were “executives” and therefore should not be part of the union. Unions say this tactic is a common anti-union practice. It is fighting through unfair labor practices allegations regarding the misclassification of members of the executive branch. In an effort to reduce the size of the union, Forbes
Forbes Union’s 3-Day Strike in January 2024 (Forbes Union)
Union members spoke with Fox News Digital about the timing of the strike. This coincides with the launch of the company’s “30 under 30” list to highlight the work required to remove the list.
The nation’s largest union for federal employees has condemned GOP efforts to end telework.
“The 30 Under 30 list is such a high-profile list for Forbes that it caught our attention,” said Andrea Murphy, president of the Forbes Statistics Unit and editor. “But it took the work of every team at news room Months and months of work to put together a list like this.”
“Boundaries are violent,” she added. “There is not a single part of the newsroom that is not involved in this story. So we felt compelled to go out today and highlight just how hard it takes to keep journalism on this level, day in and day out. Basically we want to use Some of the attention and spotlight this show receives every year. And it shows little in the way of fighting our contracts.”
Forbes Union’s 3-Day Strike in January 2024 (Forbes Union)
Murphy said management is dragging its feet and suspects it’s a strategic move by companies. Used to dampen union enthusiasm by “slow-walking” the contract fight.
“They certainly didn’t tell us that when we sat at the bargaining table,” she added. “They claim they did this in good faith all along.”
The union has yet to reach a contract with Forbes’ management.
Fox News Digital’s David Rutz, Brian Flood and Nik Lanum contributed to this report.
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