Home » US Employment News » New York Times journalists form ‘independence caucus’ against union’s actions
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New York Times employees have formed a group over journalism neutrality concerns.
Notable journalists like Megan Twohey, Julian Barnes, and Emily Bazelon have joined the efforts.
Dozens of staff created an "independence caucus" within the NewsGuild-CWA, the union representing the Times's 1,500 people.
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The newly formed caucus, led by Times employees, is open to staff from other publications.
It comes as the relationship between the newsroom and the union has become strained over the past year.
Journalists raise concern about the union's perceived shift toward advocacy rather than maintaining strict journalistic independence.
Recent friction surfaced during a virtual meeting convened by the NewsGuild, where members discussed stating a cease-fire in Gaza and cessation of US government aid to Israel.
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This sparked unease among some Times staffers, who viewed such advocacy as potentially compromising their neutrality and endangering colleagues in conflict zones.
NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss said the union had not considered issuing such a statement and held the meeting to gauge member sentiments.
However, the incident was one of several flashpoints leading to concerns about the union's commitment to journalistic neutrality.
Other instances included the union's involvement in a dispute between Times employees and management over the newspaper's coverage of transgender issues.
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Some Times staffers deemed the actions exceeding the union's mandate.
Simultaneously, a smaller group within the New York Times is exploring the possibility of breaking away from the NewsGuild.
Discussions with legal representatives have occurred, although some caucus members prefer working to improve the existing NewsGuild rather than pursuing a split.
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