More than a thousand unionized staffers at The New York Times will stage a 24-hour work stoppage Thursday, a historic move amid frustrations with management’s handling of contract negotiations. The Daily Beast’s media newsletter Confider first reported a month ago that the Times’ union staffers earnestly considered a mass walkout in response to drawn-out negotiations over matters like pay raises. In a Wednesday evening staff-wide email, first obtained by CNN, Times CEO Meredith Levien confirmed the strike, adding, “It’s disappointing that they’re taking such drastic action, given the clear commitment we’ve shown to negotiate our way to a contract.” In a separate newsroom memo, Executive Editor Joe Kahn wrote: “We will produce a robust report on Thursday. But it will be harder than usual.” And in a press release, the NewsGuild (which represents workers at the Times and other outlets including The Daily Beast) said the walkout is a response to the paper’s “failure to bargain in good faith, reach a fair contract agreement with the workers and meet their demands.” Thursday will be the first time the Gray Lady’s staffers strike since 1978 when all major New York City newspapers walked out.
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