The Athletic is looking to unionize.
Taking to X on Monday, the New York Times Guild announced that staff members at The Athletic have “sent a letter to Times management calling on them to recognize Athletic editorial workers as members of the Times Guild.” The move comes three years to the day that it was first reported that The New York Times was purchasing the online sports outlet, with the move ultimately finalized months later.
“Today, we all sent a clear message to Times management: Sports jobs are Times Guild jobs, and we will not stand for a two-tier system of employment at The Times. Athletic staff does Times Guild work, and they deserve Times Guild benefits,” the NYTimes Guild posted on X. “We are collectively calling on Times management to do the right thing and recognize Athletic staff as part of our union. We are stronger together, and we will stand together in this fight.
“Our mission as staff across The New York Times is clear: We aim to ensure that all workers at this company have a voice at the table, building and supporting a diverse workforce, and guaranteeing fair pay and job protections, no matter where they work within The Times.
“We know a rising tide lifts all boats and we are so excited by this big step for Athletic staff.”
Despite the majority of The New York Times newsroom being unionized, The Athletic staff has remained its own entity in the three years since the $550 million purchase of the company. That served as a source of consternation in the summer of 2023, when The Times announced that it was disbanding its sports desk and replacing it with The Athletic’s work.
With some having accused The New York Times of the move being a union-busting tactic, how it reacts to The Athletic’s attempt to unionize will certainly be informative. Last June, New York Times CEO and president Meredith Kopit Levien declined to commit to recognizing a potential Athletic union should one come to fruition.
“The Times works with lots of unions. … We certainly recognize all of our colleagues’ rights,” Levien said while speaking with Axios at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. “If The Athletic team chooses to form a union to represent themselves they have a right to do that, but I don’t have anything to report there.”
In November, The New York Times announced that The Athletic enjoyed a profitable Q3 for 2024 — marking the first time it’s been deemed profitable since its inception in 2016.
Following the news of The Athletic’s move to join the New York Times Guild, several prominent staffers took to social media to show support, including NBA columnist David Aldridge and investigative reporter Katie Strang.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.