New York Times: They want more wages --- and get a lunch box


9/13/2022, 5:26:59 AM

In order to lure them from the home office into the office, the »New York Times« gives its employees a lunch box. More than 1,300 employees are now staying at home: they would rather have a higher salary.

Office of the New York Times in Manhattan

The New York Times actually wanted its employees to work from the office at least three days a week.

But more than 1316 employees are now staying in the home office.

The reasons for this: Concern about Corona - and a labor dispute for higher wages.

2020 was the last salary round so far.

The journalists' union News Guild is demanding an eight percent wage increase and an additional adjustment of 5.25 percent because of higher living costs.

In addition, the union wants assurances that employees will be able to work entirely from their home office if they so wish by July 2023.

"People are angry," the New York Post quotes trade unionist Tom Coffey as saying.

He points to the increased cost of living and rents as well as the current inflation.

A trip to the office would mean that employees would have to spend extra money on gas, public transport, clothing and lunch.

One of the journalists working from home this week is Putlitzer Prize winner Nick Confessore.

"The 'New York Times' wants us back in the office - we want negotiations about better wages," he wrote on Twitter.

But working from home won't stop him from continuing to "produce the great journalism that we do every day."

A gift exacerbates the dispute

The "New York Times" created additional resentment with a gift intended to encourage people to return to the office: every employee received a lunch box with the "NYT" logo.

"We'd rather have respect and a fair contract," commented journalist Remy Tumin, also on Twitter.

"I really want this lunch box, but I'd rather have a fair contract," writes her colleague Lauren Leibowitz.

According to media reports, other employees complain that the boxes were empty and had no handles.

A Twitter user also points out that it might not be so smart if all employees had the same lunch box - because of the risk of confusion in the editorial refrigerator.

According to the New York Post, an NYT spokesman said: "We continue to believe that a hybrid working environment is best suited for the New York Times." The desired office attendance of three days is a guideline.

It is up to the individual departments to organize their teams in such a way that they function well.

Other companies are also trying to lure their employees back into the office with perks.

At SPIEGEL, food in the canteen was free in June.

According to the Munich ifo Institute, a quarter of all German employees work from home in the summer.

And with rising corona numbers, working from home could soon become more important again.

Federal Minister of Labor Heil is preparing a corresponding obligation for employers --- it could apply from October.