New York Times' Wirecutter staff walk off the job before Black Friday
"We are on strike!" reads a tweet this morning from product review website Wirecutter. "After two years of bargaining, The $New York Times(NYT.US$ has continued to delay our negotiations through unfair labor practices and wage offers that significantly underpay our staff. We, members of the Wirecutter Union, are fed up. We're prepared to walk out during the Black Friday shopping week to win the fair contract we deserve."
The Times bought Wirecutter in 2016, but began selling standalone subscriptions to the website on Sept. 1. According to the company's latest earnings, Wirecutter gained 10,000 net subscriptions in the first month behind a paywall.
Wirecutter's 65 unionized staffers plan to strike through Cyber Monday, which is traditionally its busiest and most profitable of the year, said Nick Guy, Wirecutter Union unit chair. "This is the time of the year that we really work for months and months and months. I think it is an appropriate time to really show the value that we do bring to the company."
The union is seeking wage increases that total about $300,000 in the first year, as well as a 2.5% guaranteed annual wage increase and higher minimum salaries across four pay bands. So far, the Times has agreed to a 1% guaranteed annual increase plus the option for merit-based raises.
"The New York Times has a long history of productive relationships with unions to advance our shared objectives," responded Danielle Rhoades Ha, vice president of communications at the New York Times. "We're actively working with the Wirecutter Union to reach a collective bargaining agreement that continues to reward our employees for their work and contributions to the Times's success, and we look forward to continuing those negotiations at the bargaining table."
Strikes have been increasing across the U.S. labor market as workers flex their leverage to demand more from their employers. Deere was the latest to settle a month-long strike as United Auto Workers union members voted to accept an enhanced contract offer.
Disclaimer: Community is offered by Moomoo Technologies Inc. and is for educational purposes only.
Read more
Comment
Sign in to post a comment
Hearts Gainer : This news doesn't really have an impact on the market. Not sure if it's relevant except to the 60 staffers.
Wall Street newbie : A 1% raise. Thanks Scrooge.
GxAklulu Wall Street newbie: 1% plus merit based increases. I would take my chances of that over 2.5% in an environment where inflation is 3%.
Also, do they even have enough subscriptions to pay the wages?
$300,000 plus for 65 unionized employees off of 10,000 subscriptions?
That is a minimum of $162.50 per unionized employee per month per subscription. It includes no other costs or wages for non-unionized employees.