The New York Times (NYT) Tech Union recently announced a strike, protesting the company's failure to meet their demands, which include an annual salary increase of 2.5% and the reinforcement of the requirement for two days of office work per week. The union stated that after multiple failed negotiations, they had no choice but to demonstrate their strength through a strike.
Image source note: The image was generated by AI, with authorization from the service provider Midjourney
AG Sulzberger, the publisher of NYT, expressed concern about the strike, especially two days before the US presidential election. He pointed out that millions of readers rely on The New York Times for coverage on and after Election Day, and the union's choice to strike at this critical moment is highly inappropriate.
During the union members' protest, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas made a controversial suggestion on social media, offering his services to help NYT ensure normal coverage during the election period. His comments sparked widespread attention and discussion, with many accusing him of acting as a "scab," a move widely considered unethical and potentially weakening the workers' bargaining power.
Srinivas replied to Sulzberger on the social platform, stating that Perplexity is ready to provide technical support to ensure smooth information flow on the high-traffic Election Day. However, this proposal was seen by the striking workers as a direct challenge to their work, as they are the ones responsible for this technical support.
Although Srinivas tried to explain that his proposal was not to replace human work with AI, this statement did not quell public opposition. Many believe that Perplexity's involvement could further exacerbate internal conflicts at NYT, making the union's position even stronger.
Additionally, the relationship between Perplexity and NYT is already very tense. NYT sent a cease-and-desist letter to the company last month, accusing it of unauthorizedly scraping NYT articles for its AI model. Srinivas did not provide a clear explanation for the term "plagiarism" when faced with the media, further deepening external concerns about the relationship between the two parties.
Now, as the strike continues, the conflict between the two sides seems to be becoming increasingly sharp, with future developments drawing much attention.
Key Points:
🔍 NYT tech workers announce strike due to unmet demands by the company.
🚨 Perplexity CEO's offer of services sparks public criticism for acting as a "scab."
⚔️ NYT and Perplexity are in a tense relationship, accusing each other of infringement issues.