NYT Tech Guild

A group of guild members folding and assembling zines at a table

Four union members hold up zines, smiling.

A zine cover with the text "Maker Weeks 2025" and the tech guild logo with a cartoon scabby rat

An internal page of the zine describing member rights and what to do if you're detained or searched

We’re celebrating solidarity through arts & crafts this week. Each year, our members come together for an internal hackathon called Maker Week and we also - in what’s becoming an annual tradition - create and share handmade zines for our members.

✊Know your rights, get involved, and get crafty 🎨

WE FIXED IT: Obviously our successful rally had an effect on @nydailynews.com management, who felt compelled to “write” an op-ed. Unfortunately it’s full of mischaracterizations and missing key facts. As journalists we couldn’t let that slide, so we got out our red pens…

Standing proudly with @NYDNUnion in their fight for fair wages, benefits and job security. We were fighting the same fight last fall, and will be there again one day - we know what we can accomplish in solidarity ✊💪

Super successful rally today with our @nydnunion.bsky.social members. Our message was clear: Defend The Daily News !

@bradlander.bsky.social Hey Brad, thanks for supporting us at the @nytguildtech.bsky.social last year, and thanks for everything that you’re doing now. Keep it up!

Management is still in denial about our union, violating our contract, causing us to file multiple grievances. We will hold them accountable, give our members as many protections and as much flexibility as possible, and continue our fight for a better workplace.

The first big test of our contract came when management announced needless staff layoffs, ignoring our contract terms.

But we had each other’s backs and organized multiple public actions - we fought to extend termination dates and get our members the severance they were owed.

Management wants us afraid. Disempowered. But we know our value and we will stand together. We will hold management accountable, and fight their contract violations. We will fight for our members and everything they deserve.

Management also failed to offer voluntary buyouts, refused to consider cutting contracting expenses, and is applying an overly narrow definition of seniority.

They claim the layoffs will help us “operate more efficiently,” but they cut from already understaffed departments, removing senior and leadership roles and discarding employees with decades of institutional knowledge.

Management claims that “cost discipline remains key,” but they already approved $350 million in stock buybacks this year. For comparison, less than 3% of that would cover the salaries cut.

On May 7th, NYT leadership celebrated another successful earnings report and consistent growth, touting its business strategy and its employees, saying they were “well prepared to meet the moment.” On May 9th, they abruptly laid off 22 tech workers.

THEY ARE TIMES GUILD: We are happy to welcome @theathletic.bsky.social to our @nyguild.bsky.social family. @nytimes.com needs to do the right thing and recognize them as part of the Times Guild.

x.com/NYTimesGuild...

A large group photo of Times Tech Guild members in the lobby of The New York Times building in Midtown Manhattan, taken on Monday, November 12th, 2024 as the unit returned to work after an eight-day unfair labor practice strike. Multiple members are wearing red apparel, and the whole group is raising their fists in solidarity.

We want to again thank everyone for their support, especially across @newsguild.org, @codecwa.bsky.social, @cwadistrict1.bsky.social, NYC Central Labor Council, and @nysaflcio.bsky.social. It’s all one fight!

#NYT #UnionStrong #UnionMadeNYC #Union #Labor #CollectiveBargaining #Contract #Solidarity

We hope that this contract sets a precedent for tech workers across the country – because every tech worker deserves guaranteed raises, just cause, flexible hybrid schedules, compensation for on-call work, and protections for those on work visas…

A stylized graphic with a narrowly cropped crowd shot of Times Tech Guild picketers outside The New York Times building in Midtown Manhattan. Multiple “On Strike” signs, noise-making rhythm instruments, and a person in a white shirt carrying a megaphone appear in the photo. A red overlay and bold, all-cap white text that reads “We won our contract!” are overlaid on top of the photo.

WE VOTED YES: (Thread) We are thrilled to share that our members have voted to ratify our new three-year collective bargaining agreement with @nytimes.com…

A group photo of Times Tech Guild members in the lobby of The New York Times building in Midtown Manhattan, taken on Monday, November 12th, 2024 as the unit returned to work after an eight-day unfair labor practice strike.

We are setting a precedent for tech workers across the country. Every tech worker deserves a union – now more than ever.

We fought hard for this contract because we love our jobs. And now, thanks to our members and support from our siblings @nyguild.bsky.social, @newsguild.org, CODE-CWA, @cwadistrict1.bsky.social, the New York City Central Labor Council, @nysaflcio.bsky.social and all of YOU, we have a historic deal.

Guaranteed wage increases for the first time of up to 8.25% (plus additional base rate discretionary compensation) that prioritize the largest wage increases for our lowest paid members over the life of the contract

‘Just cause’ and remote work protections; guarantees for flexible hybrid work schedules; compensation for on-call work and protections for our members on work visas

A stylized photo collage displaying a photo of Times Tech Guild workers picketing outside the New York Times building in Midtown Manhattan in early November 2024, overlaid in light red, with the Times Tech Guild logo and large, outlined, all caps text: We Have A Deal

✊🎉WE HAVE A DEAL 🎉✊

We are thrilled to announce we have reached a tentative three-year agreement with @nytimes.com, pending ratification by our members. There’s so much to share but here are just a few highlights of the deal:

For Immediate Release: Dec. 11, 2024. Contact: Jen Sheehan, jen@nyguild.org, 610-573-0740. NY NewsGuild, NY Times Reach Tentative Deal On Historic First Tech Contract. Three-year agreement sets new standards for tech industry, including "just cause" protections, guaranteed raises, and guardrails on remote-work status. New York - The NewsGuild of New York, which represents the Times Tech Guild, and New York Times management have reached a tentative deal on a three-year contract, just over a month after the Tech Guild's election week ULP strike. The tentative agreement is the first for the Times Tech Guild, the largest union of tech workers with collective bargaining rights in the country. The Times Tech Guild is a bargaining unit of The NewsGuild of New York, which represents nearly 6,000 media workers including two other units at The New York Times. "We're thrilled to reach an agreement that secures 'just cause' protections, sustains workplace flexibility, and guarantees annual raises for our members," said Kathy Zhang, a Senior Analytics Manager at The New York Times and unit chair of the Tech Guild. "These first contract wins set a strong foundation for job protections that our colleagues will build upon for generations. I could not be more proud to have been part of organizing this strong, fighting union. Serving on our first bargaining committee has been the honor of a lifetime." Tech Guild members will vote on ratification of their contract on Thursday, Dec. 19th. Among the contract highlights: Enhanced job security with 'just cause' protections. Guaranteed wage increases for the first time of up to 8.25% (plus additional base rate discretionary compensation) that prioritize the largest wage increases for the lowest paid members over the life of the contract. Additional compensation for on-call work. Important protections that lock in guardrails on additional variable compensation (including stocks and bonuses). Improved protections for workers on visas.

Language guaranteeing flexible hybrid work schedules. Process & transparency protections related to career growth, performance reviews and other workplace issues. This tentative deal marks the end of more than 2 years of bargaining, which began shortly after the unit won its NLRB election by a landslide in March 2022. Software developers, project managers & graphic designers at NYT unionized alongside a wave of other tech workers at SEGA, Meow Wolf, NPR, Activision Blizzard and Alphabet, organizing as part of CODE-CWA, or the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees. It also comes just over a month after the Tech Guild went on a ULP strike. NYT subscribers across the country expressed solidarity with striking tech workers by not crossing the digital picket line to play games such as Wordle and Connections, or using the Cooking app. Tech Guild members created their own games site, akin to a strike publication, that amassed more than a half million page views and more than 320,000 active users. Supporters also donated more than a quarter of a million dollars to Tech's strike fund. "With this contract our Tech Guild members demonstrate what happens when workers band together to fight for the value of their labor," said Susan DeCarava, President of The NewsGuild of New York. "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." The NewsGuild of New York, Local 31003 of the CWA, is a labor union representing nearly 6,000 media professionals and other employees at New York area news organizations, including NYT, The New Yorker, Thomson Reuters, The Nation, TIME, PEOPLE, Wirecutter, and The Daily Beast. NYGuild advocates for journalists to have a voice in the newsroom, for press freedom, for inclusive and diverse workplaces, and for just cause, no exceptions, for all media professionals.

WE HAVE A DEAL: We have reached a tentative agreement with the @nytimes.com for our members. Read more here...

Tell your Reps: VOTE NO on H.R. 9495! Defend nonprofit workers NOW. This week the U.S. House of Representatives is voting on H.R. 9495, a bill which includes language that would give the Secretary of the Treasury almost unilateral power to strip the tax-exempt status ...

We stand in solidarity with members across the @newsguild.org whose vital organizing efforts would be threatened by this bill. Contact your representatives now to let them know your concerns. actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

Our priority here is our contract. Our ULP Strike was a warning to @nytimes.com and now management knows what we’re capable of. We know we are setting a precedent for the industry, and that means getting back to the table, and bringing the fight back to the office.

Unfortunately, @nytimes.com leadership is willing to risk the company’s journalistic mission and waste extraordinary amounts of money just to avoid speaking with us.

Hundreds of us showed up every day on the picket line, with hundreds more meeting across the nation and online.

✊ We could not have done this without you. ✊ From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

A group photo of about a hundred members of the Times Tech Guild, standing in the lobby of the New York Times building, many with fists raised in solidarity. In front of them is a shiny light wood floor, and behind are large floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking an inner greenery. Several members are wearing read dresses and shirts.

Over the last 8 days, we accomplished something extraordinary: we held the first tech-workers strike in the nation, ran one of the first and largest remote pickets in the nation, and pulled off a successful boycott of both NYT Cooking and Games.

After an unprecedented Election Week ULP strike, we returned to work today and have called off the NYT Games and Cooking boycotts.

#SolidarityStreak #BreakMyStreak #UnionStrong #UnionMadeNYC #Strike #Union #Unions #Tech #Labor #CollectiveBargaining #Contract #NewsGuild #CWA #Solidarity

For Immediate Release: Nov. 11, 2024. Contact: Jen Sheehan, jen@nyguild.org, 610-573-0740. New York Times Tech Guild: ‘We showed our strength and our value to The Times.’ Workers who power all NYT technology — including mobile push alerts, app & website maintenance and the popular games — end Election Week ULP strike. ‘Now we'll bring our fight inside as we return to work.’ New York — The Times Tech Guild — the union that makes the coverage at The New York Times accessible to the world — has wrapped up an Election Week ULP Strike, having shown Times management the impact of their solidarity and unity. Tech Guild members will return to work Tuesday and march into the office together in the morning as a symbol of what's to come for The Times. “Our Election Week ULP Strike was a warning to The Times,” said Kathy Zhang, Tech Guild unit chair and a senior analytics manager at The New York Times. “We clearly demonstrated how valuable our work is to The New York Times, especially on election night, and showed that we have the full support of subscribers and allies across the country going forward.” Tech Guild members are advising supporters they can resume playing New York Times games as well as use the Cooking app. Instead of bargaining with the Tech Guild, Times’ executives stubbornly put a critically important Election Day at risk. The New York Times earned a notorious distinction on Election Day, as it was the site of the first NewsGuild-CWA strike coinciding with a presidential election in 60 years. A quick look at some of the impact the Tech Guild had on Election Night coverage through their ULP Strike: No state-level or non-presidential needles were live on election night. iOS news was not displaying ads intermittently, a significant loss of revenue for the company. The apps and website were slow to load. Publishing issues produced intermittent and visible error messages for readers on articles and updates.

Times subscribers received hundreds of thousands of emails with broken links. “The systems and digital products that worked over the election did so thanks to the hundreds of unit members who worked for months preparing everything to run smoothly,” Zhang said. “What broke down during this strike broke because our members weren't at work.” Subscribers across the country showed Tech Guild solidarity by boycotting the Cooking app as well as NYT games such as Wordle and Connections. Tech Guild members even created their own games site, akin to a strike publication, that earned more than a half million page views and more than 320,000 active users. “Times management — in particular CEO Meredith Kopit Levien and Chief Technology Officer Jason Sobel — made the conscious decision to put Times journalism at risk on election night rather than come to the bargaining table and work with us to get this contract completed,” said Anthony Napoli, NewsGuild of NY treasurer. “Our members will continue the fight until a fair contract is secured. We will accept nothing less.” About the NewsGuild of New York: The NewsGuild of New York, Local 31003 of the Communications Workers of America, is a labor union representing nearly 6,000 media professionals and other employees at New York area news organizations, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Thomson Reuters, The Nation, TIME, PEOPLE, Wirecutter, and The Daily Beast. The NewsGuild of New York advocates for journalists to have a voice in the newsroom, for press freedom, for inclusive and diverse workplaces, and for just cause, no exceptions, for all media professionals.

A WARNING TO THE TIMES: Tuesday, we will be returning to work, after a successful Election Week ULP Strike. We clearly demonstrated how valuable our work is to @nytimes.com. And now we’ll move our fight inside.

#GuildBuilds #SolidarityStreak #BreakMyStreak #UnionStrong #UnionMadeNYC #Strike

That wraps up tonight's livestream! Some things we've learned:

1. Union members aren't always great at word searches 🔍

2. NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss is a future Overwatch pro 🏆

3. When we fight, we win — both in real life and OW 🔥✊🔥

Thanks to everyone who tuned in! Goodnight!!