LA Times journalists to strike, walkout planned Friday as layoffs loom
Los Angeles Times journalists are walking off the job Friday, holding a one-day strike decrying substantial layoffs in what is anticipated to be cuts to 20% of the newsroom.
Journalists are heading to Gloria Molina Grand Park in Los Angeles for a noontime "Rally To Save Local Journalism."
The Los Angeles Times Guild is asking readers to not to click on Times stories, engage with Times-brand accounts on social media or open Times news alerts throughout the one-day strike Friday in a show of solidarity with journalists and the work they produce.
This will be the first newsroom work stoppage in the 142-year history of the newspaper and it comes one day after management announced layoffs were coming due to a widening budget deficit.
Management has not publicly disclosed the number of newsroom positions that will be eliminated, but knowledgeable people said the plan is to lay off at least 100 journalists, or about 20% of the newsroom, the largest staff cut since the paper was owned by Tribune Co., The Times reported.
"We need to reduce our operating budget going into this year and anticipate layoffs," Times spokeswoman Hillary Manning said Thursday in a statement.
"The hardest decisions to make are those that impact our employees, and we do not come to any such decisions lightly."
The planned layoffs will mark the third round of cuts since June, when more than 70 positions, or about 13% of the newsroom, were trimmed.
Understanding the need to cut costs, union representatives are asking for more buyouts and fewer layoffs.
"They (management) need to come to the bargaining table in good faith and work out a buyout plan with us that would first articulate a clear headcount or cost saving they're aiming for, and then seek to hit that number with as many buyouts -- and as few layoffs -- as possible," Brian Contreras, chair of the Guild's Unit Council said in a statement.
"If this newsroom will ever be a place where reporters can have a reliable, steady job and put down roots in Los Angeles, that will only happen through the preservation of our seniority protections."