Workers at the unionized New York Times have taken legal steps against the newspaper, alleging that it employs artificial intelligence to “surveil and monitor” its staff.
Members of the New York Times Guild, along with another group from the Times Tech Guild, have lodged two complaints and an unfair labor practice charge against the publication. They claim that the use of AI for monitoring breaches collective bargaining agreements.
“Utilizing AI to watch over our work is a violation of our contract and distorts the true nature of what we do,” said Benjamin Harnett, chair of the Tech Guild’s Generative AI Committee and a software engineer at the Times.
He further noted, “Our roles demand human judgment and problem-solving skills that AI simply can’t measure accurately. It’s akin to imposing arbitrary reporting limits on journalists.”
The union indicated that the Times management has “still not provided the Tech Guild with information regarding AI use despite federal regulations mandating such disclosure during negotiations and contract enforcement.”
Reports suggest that the Times did not respond to three requests for information from the guild.
A spokesman for the newspaper commented, “We disagree with the complaint’s nature and will handle it as part of our regular contract process. We intend to respond to this Request for Information (RFI) just like we’ve addressed over 80 others from the Guild in the past few years.”
The unions mentioned that their first request for information came two months ago on March 26, followed by another on April 22, and a final note on May 6.
They are looking for details on the company’s current and previous use of AI, as well as its anticipated application and impact on staff and workflows.
As the Times Guild represents over 1,500 editorial, advertising, and support staff, the timing of this issue is significant, especially since they are negotiating a new contract. Recently, guild members gathered outside the New York Times building in Manhattan, advocating for enhanced protections relating to AI and for affordable healthcare.
The News Guild of New York also filed a separate unfair labor complaint on behalf of the Times Guild.
“Globally, workers are facing challenges from their employers’ unethical use of artificial intelligence,” stated Susan DeCarava, president of the News Guild of New York.
She added, “Unfortunately, management at the New York Times has not shown itself to be different, lacking transparency and accountability in how these technologies are being implemented against the very employees who help drive the company’s success.”
