Re: “New York Times to Sell the Press Democrat”

From a letter to the New York Times: Arthur Schulzberger






December 23, 2011

Dear Arthur :

We, the Guild leadership and many reporters, editors, account managers and other Times employees, Guild members and otherwise, are writing to express profound dismay at several recent developments.

Our foreign citizen employees in overseas bureaus have just had their pensions frozen with only a week’s warning. Some of these people have risked their lives so that we can do our jobs. A couple have even lost them. Many have spent their entire careers at the Times -- indeed, some have letters from your father explaining the pension system -- and deserve better treatment.

At the same time, your negotiators have demanded a freeze of our pension plan and an end to our independent health insurance.

We ask you to withdraw these demands so that negotiations on a new contract can proceed fruitfully and expeditiously. We also urge you to reconsider the decision to eliminate the pensions of the foreign employees.

We have worked long and hard for this company and have given up pay to keep it solvent. Some of us have risked our lives for it. You have eloquently recognized and paid moving tribute to our work and devotion. The deep disconnect between those words and the demands of your negotiators have given rise to a sense of betrayal.

One of our colleagues in senior management recently announced her retirement from the paper, which is reported to include a very generous severance and retirement package, including full pension benefits.

All of us who work at the Times deserve to have a secured retirement; this should not be a privilege cynically reserved to senior management. We strongly urge you to keep faith with your words and our shared mission of putting out the best newspaper in the world.

Signed,



1. Bill O'Meara, NY Newspaper Guild President

2. Grant Glickson, Unit Chair

3. Reed Abelson, Reporter

4. Michael Abrams, Culture backfield editor

5. David Alinkofsky, Staff Assistant

6. Craig Allen, Photo Producer

7. Richard Aloisio, Art Director

8. Lizette Alvarez, National correspondent

9. Benjamin Anastas, Contractor / Staff Editor

10. Daphne Angles, Paris bureau manager and European Photo Coordinator

11. Peter Applebome, Reporter, Metro

12. Randy Archibold, Foreign Correspondent

13. Crystal Arroyo, News Assistant

14. Nancy Bachrach, Retiree

15. Jessica Bagdorf, News Technology

16. Marlene Bagley, Staff Editor

17. Charles Bagli, Reporter

18. Vikas Bajaj, Foreign Correspondent

19. William Baker, Technology

20. Nada Bakri, Contract writer

21. Pasquale Baldino, News Designer

22. Zena Barakat, Video Journalist

23. Walter Baranger, Assistant to the Editor

24. Deborah Barbagallo, Digital Production Manager

25. Michael Barbaro, Political Reporter

26. Anne Barnard, Metro Reporter

27. Sara Barrett, Photo Editor

28. Alexei Barrionuevo, Foreign Correspondent

29. Karen Barrow, Producer

30. Dan Barry, Columnist

31. Ellen Barry, Foreign Correspondent, Moscow

32. David Barstow, Reporter

33. Barry Bearak, Reporter

34. Howard Beck, Reporter, Sports

35. Alida Becker, Book Review

36. Ginia Bellafante, Columnist

37. Pam Belluck, Science reporter

38. Ken Belson, Reporter

39. Joseph Berger, Reporter

40. Stephen Berman, Photo editor

41. Tara Siegel Bernard, Reporter

42. Nina Bernstein, Metro reporter

43. Fred A. Bernstein, Writer

44. Peter Blair, Staff Editor

45. Ralph Blumenthal, Retiree

46. Paul Bolognese, Staff Assistant - Pagination

47. Sam Borden, Reporter, Sports

48. Kassie Bracken, Video Journalist

49. Timothy Bralczyk, Paginator

50. Ben Brantley, Chief theater critic

51. William Broad, Science reporter

52. George Bronner, Pagination

53. Joshua Brustein, Web Producer

54. Natalia Bubenova, Office manager

55. Herbert Buchsbaum, Editor, Foreign Desk

56. Cara Buckley, Reporter

57. Cielo Buenaventura, Staff Editor

58. Elisabeth Bumiller, Washington correspondent

59. Diane Cardwell, Reporter

60. Benedict Carey, Science reporter

61. Bill Carter, Media Reporter

62. Damien Cave, Foreign Correspondent

63. Tony Cenicola, Photographer

64. Adam Chadwick, News Assistant

65. Kenneth Chang, Science Reporter

66. Murray Chass, Retired baseball columnist

67. Andrew Chen, Staff Artist

68. Thomas Coffey, Staff Editor

69. Micah Cohen, News Assistant

70. Linda Cohn, Editorial

71. Alison Colby, Production Manager

72. Phyllis Collazo, Permissions

73. Glenn Collins, Reporter

74. Charlie Competello, Assistant to the Editor

75. Nick Confessore, National Correspondent

76. Fred Conrad, Staff Photographer

77. Charles Conway, Retiree

78. Michael Cooper, National Correspondent

79. Ray Cormier, Staff Editor

80. Joao Costa, Former News Editor

81. Kelly Couturier, Web Producer

82. Stephen Crowley, Staff Photographer

83. Dan Cuff, Retired editor and reporter

84. Cynthia Curry, News Designer

85. Manohla Dargis, Co-chief Film Critic

86. Andrew Das, Staff Editor

87. Jessica De Witt, Photo Editor

88. Suzanne DeChillo, Photographer

89. Bernard Delgado, Staff Artist

90. Jim DeMaria, Staff Artist

91. Shaila Dewan, Reporter

92. David Dewitt, Listings Editor, The Arts

93. Harvey Dickson, Staff Editor

94. Sam Dillon, Reporter, Education, retired

95. Kelly Doe, Art Director

96. Jake Doherty, Staff Editor

97. Joyce Dopkeen, Retired staff photographer

98. Cate Doty, Home Page Producer

99. Lawrence Downes, Editorial writer

100. Lillie Dremeaux, Web Producer

101. Christopher Drew, Investigative reporter

102. Mary Drohan, Editorial

103. Jillian Dunham, Staff Editor, Magazine Research

104. David W. Dunlap, Reporter

105. Jim Dwyer, Columnist

106. Karen Eaton-Raidt, Advertising, Retired

107. Erik Eckholm, Domestic Correspondent

108. Bettina Edelstein, Assistant to the Editor

109. James Estrin, Photographer

110. Bassey Etim, News Assistant

111. Darcy Eveleigh, Photo Editor

112. Kareem Fahim, Reporter, Metro

113. Celina Fang, Photo Producer

114. Samantha Farlow, Staff Editor

115. Sean Patrick Farrell, Video Journalist

116. Robin Finn, Reporter Science News

117. Blake Fleetwood, Former Reporter

118. Lisa Foderaro, Reporter

119. Amanda Forrester, Telesales Rep

120. John Fortner, Gadsden Times

121. Henry Fountain, Reporter

122. Margalit Fox, Reporter

123. Angel Franco, Staff Photographer

124. Grace Frank, News Design

125. John C. Freed, Staff Editor

126. Milt Freudenheim, Reporter, retired

127. Dan Frosch, Denver bureau

128. Christoph Fuhrmans, Web Producer

129. Trip Gabriel, Reporter

130. Carlotta Gall, Senior Correspondent, Afghanistan

131. Louis Gambarini, Security

132. Alex Garces, Art Production

133. Caryn Gelsomino, Marketing

134. Catherine Gilmore-Barnes, Art Director

135. William Glaberson, Reporter

136. James Glanz, Investigative Reporter

137. Sheila Glaser, Staff Editor

138. Daniel Gold, Staff Editor

139. Francisco Gonzalez, COF CSR

140. David Gonzalez, Columnist, Metro

141. Erica Goode, National Reporter

142. J. David Goodman, Reporter

143. Laurie Goodstein, National Correspondent

144. Elissa Gootman, Reporter

145. Michael Gordon, Reporter

146. Denise Grady, Reporter

147. Laurel Graeber, Assistant Desk Head, Culture

148. Kevin Granville, Staff Editor

149. Penelope Green, Reporter

150. Steven Greenhouse, National correspondent

151. Linda Greenhouse, Retired Washington correspondent

152. Jane Gross, Retired correspondent and blogger

153. Michael Gross, Former reporter and columnist

154. Karen Grzelewski, Pagination

155. Susan Guerrero, Staff Editor

156. Pat Gurosky, Editor

157. Elena Gustines, Staff Assistant

158. Eileen M. Guzmich, Compiler

159. Clyde Haberman, Columnist

160. Gregory Hagan, Data Center

161. Emily Hager, Video Journalist

162. Danny Hakim, Reporter, Metro

163. David Halbfinger, Reporter

164. Mike Hale, Television critic

165. Rusha Haljuci, Researcher

166. Nakyung Hang, Photo editor

167. Chris Harcum, News Assistant

168. Amy Harmon, National Correspondent

169. John Harney, Society News

170. Rob Harris, Staff Video Journalist

171. Shayla Harris, Video Journalist

172. Anemona Hartocollis, Metro Reporter

173. Christine Haughney, Metro Reporter

174. Patrick Healy, Reporter

175. Todd Heisler, Staff Photographer

176. Karin Henry, Staff Editor

177. Caroline Rand Herron, Retired Staff Editor

178. David Herszenhorn, Foreign Correspondent

179. Dennis Hevesi, Reporter

180. Mark Hiler, Advertising

181. Jan Hoffman, Reporter

182. Laura Holson, Writer

183. Boun Homratsamy, Advertising

184. Rodrigo Honeywell, Art Director

185. Melissa Hoppert, Staff Editor

186. Hilary Howard, Editorial Assistant

187. John Hyland, Editor

188. Andrew Jacobs, Reporter

189. Paul Jean, Art Director

190. Jennifer Jenkins, Web Producer

191. Dabrali Jimenez, News Assistant

192. Alissa Johannsen-Rubin, Foreign Correspondent

193. Gabe Johnson, Reporter, Video

194. Kirk Johnson, National Correspondent

195. Monica Johnson, Advertising Account Manager

196. Chris Kahley, Staff Artist

197. Laura Kaltman, Art Production

198. Wayne Kamidoi, Art Director

199. Andrea Kannapell, Web Editor, Foreign Desk

200. Leslie Kaufman, Reporter

201. Amy Kelsey, Design Editor

202. Randy Kennedy, Culture Reporter

203. Brian Kennedy, Surveys

204. Ned Kilkelly, Staff Editor

205. Lysa Kim, Accounting

206. Sonny Kleinfield, Reporter

207. David Kocieniewski, Business Reporter

208. Michael Kolomatsky, Web Producer

209. Niko Koppel, Photo Editor

210. Allan Kozinn, Music Critic

211. Sara Krulwich, Photographer

212. Nicholas Kulish, Foreign correspondent

213. John Kurdewan, Art Production

214. Joyce Laskowski, Staff Editor

215. Becky Lebowitz, Photo Editor

216. Chris Lee, News Assistant

217. Linda Lee, Retired editor, House & Home

218. Deborah Leiderman, Editor

219. Anne Leigh, Art Director

220. John Leland, Reporter

221. Michael Leone, Staff artist

222. Cheryl Levenbrown, Staff Editor

223. Rita Levine, News Assistant

224. Tamar Lewin, Domestic Correspondent

225. Michael Lewis, Staff Editor

226. Eileen G. Lewis, Former Mid-Atlantic Ad Director

227. Sandy Lewis, Op Ed contributor

228. Thomas Lin, Senior Producer, Science

229. Steve Lohr, Reporter

230. Tiina Loite, Photo Editor

231. Elias Lopez, Staff Editor

232. Jose Lopez, Staff Picture Editor

233. Elaine Louie, News Assistant

234. Meghan Louttit, Multimedia Producer

235. Michael Luo, Reporter

236. Jim Luttrell, Senior web producer

237. Toby Lyles, News Researcher

238. Richard D. Lyons, Retiree

239. Janet MacDougall, Former Designer

240. Neil MacFarquhar, United Nations correspondent

241. Suzanne MacNeille, Backfield Editor

242. Vincent Mallozzi, Reporter

243. Anne Mancuso, News Assistant

244. John Markoff, Senior Writer

245. Bill Marsh, Graphics Editor

246. Andrew Martin, Reporter

247. Michael Martinez, Former reporter, sports

248. Jennifer Mascia, Editorial Assistant

249. Mindy Matthews, Copy Editor

250. Micheline Maynard, Former Detroit Bureau Chief

251. Kristie McClain, Editor

252. Carmel McCoubrey, Staff Editor

253. Brent McDonald, Video Journalist

254. Jennifer McDonald, Book Review

255. Patrick McGeehan, Reporter, Metro

256. James McKinley, Reporter

257. Alan McLean, Graphics Editor

258. Donald G McNeil Jr, Reporter Science News

259. Mike McPhate, Web Producer

260. Jennifer Medina, Reporter

261. Jigar Mehta, Video Producer

262. Aviva Michaelov, Art Director

263. Lia Miller, Research Editor

264. Andrea Mohin, Staff Photographer

265. Steve Moore, Security

266. Lori Moore, Web Producer

267. Chris Morales, Copy Clerk

268. Peter Morance, Art Director

269. Adrienne Morris, Former Staff Editor

270. Dolores Morrison, Photo Editor

271. Julia Moskin, Reporter

272. Michael Moss, Investigative Reporter

273. Jad Mouawad, Reporter

274. Ozier Muhammad, Staff Photographer

275. Art Mulford, Retired - Former Unit Chair

276. Ronnie Munder, Ret./ADV. ACC'T. MGR.

277. Peg Murphy, Advertising

278. Patrick Murphy, Former Editor, Online Services, NYT Magazine Group

279. Howell Murray, Staff Editor

280. Steven Lee Myers, Diplomatic Correspondent, Washington

281. Corinne Myller, Art Director

282. Eric Nagourney, Staff Editor

283. Anthony Napoli, Customer Service Representative

284. John Napoli, Customer Service

285. Mireya Navarro, Environment reporter

286. William Neuman, Reporter

287. Andy Newman, City Room Bureau Chief

288. William Niederkorn, Retiree

289. Paul Nielsen, Retired

290. Rachel Nolan, News Clerk

291. Fred Norgaard, Art Director

292. Adam Nossiter, Foreign Correspondent

293. Stu Nudelman, Distributor

294. Kristen O'Brien, International Coordinator, Paris, Former

295. Frank O'Connell, Editor

296. Joan O'Neill, Editor

297. Warren Obr, Former Staff Editor

298. Erik Olsen, Video Producer

299. Nori Onishi, Foreign correspondent

300. Matthew Orr, Video Journalist

301. Sharon Otterman, Reporter

302. Dennis Overbye, Science Correspondent

303. Darryl Palmas, Staff Artist

304. Mark Pargas, Editor

305. Benton Patterson, Retired Sunday Department staffer

306. Marcus Payadue

307. James Pearson, Art Production

308. Richard Perez-Pena, Reporter

309. Natasha Perkel, Artist

310. Richard Perry, Photographer

311. Jeremy Peters, Reporter

312. Christopher Phillips, Staff Editor

313. Erik Piepenburg, Senior Producer

314. Arthur Pincus, Former Deputy Sports Editor

315. Joe Plambeck, Staff Editor

316. Anick Pleven, Magazine Production editor

317. Ken Plutnicki, Staff Editor

318. Robin Pogrebin, Reporter

319. Lydia Polgreen, Foreign Correspondent

320. Michael Pollak, Editor

321. Eduardo Porter, Reporter

322. Justin Porter, News Assistant

323. Glen Porter, Publisher NYT Regional

324. Michael Powell, Reporter

325. Missy Prebula, Foreign/National desk

326. Julia Preston, National Correspondent

327. Rosalie Radomsky, News Assistant/Writer

328. Anthony Ramirez, Reporter, Metro

329. Eleanor Randolph, Editorial board

330. William Rashbaum, Reporter

331. Claiborne Ray, Deputy obituary editor (retired)

332. Lisanne Renner, Staff Editor

333. Aaron Retica, Staff Editor

334. Andrea Rice, News Assistant

335. Motoko Rich, Reporter

336. Clay Risen, Staff Editor

337. Liz Robbins, Reporter

338. Sam Roberts, Reporter

339. Campbell Robertson, National correspondent

340. Trina Robinson, Production Editor

341. Robert Roday, Former Sr. Network Engineer

342. John Rofe, Staff Editor

343. Larry Rohter, Culture reporter and former Foreign Correspondent

344. Librado Romero, Staff Photographer

345. Simon Romero, Foreign Correspondent

346. Michael Roston, Producer

347. Jeffrey Roth, Picture desk

348. Alton Rourk, Culture News Assistant

349. Emily Rueb, Senior Producer

350. Eric Russ, Photo Editor

351. Karl Russell, Graphics Editor

352. Stephanie Russell, News Assistant

353. Jim Rutenberg, Political Correspondent

354. Angela Rutherford, Design Manager

355. Justin Sablich, Senior Producer

356. Kevin Sack, Reporter

357. Rachel Saltz, Staff Editor

358. Merrill Saltzman, Retiree

359. Dan Saltzstein, Assistant Editor, Travel

360. Richard Sandomir, Reporter

361. Marc Santora, Reporter

362. Fernanda Santos, Reporter

363. Susan Saulny, National Reporter

364. Lonnie Schlein, Retired photo editor

365. Cornelius Schmid, Photo Editor

366. Eric Schmitt, Washington correspondent

367. Arlene Schneider, Staff Editor

368. Douglas Schorzman, Assistant Foreign Editor

369. Katherine Schulten, Senior Producer

370. John Schwartz, National Correspondent

371. Paula Schwartz, News Assistant, retired

372. Elaine Sciolino, Foreign Correspondent, Paris Bureau

373. A.O. Scott, Co-chief Film Critic

374. Diana Scott, Financial Control

375. Mosi Secret, Reporter

376. Lew Serviss, Editor

377. Philip Shenon, Former Washington and foreign correspondent

378. Desiree Shoe, Web Producer

379. Vijai Singh, TV/Video

380. Daniel Slotnik, News Assistant

381. Roberta Smith, Co-chief art critic

382. Nicole Solazzo, Marketing Analyst

383. Carl Sommers, Staff Editor

384. Sandra Stevenson, Photo Editor

385. Sheryl Stolberg, Washington correspondent

386. Darrell Stout, Communication Sales Consultant

387. Justin Swanson, Staff Editor

388. Rachel Swarns, Reporter

389. Peter Szekely, Guild Secretary-Treasurer

390. Hiroko Tabuchi, Tokyo Correspondent

391. John Tagliabue, Retiree

392. Nadia Taha, Web Producer

393. Matt Tanzer, News Technology

394. Chris Tatti, News Technology

395. Sabrina Tavernise, National Correspondent

396. Teresa Taylor, Telesales Rep

397. Oriana Tejada, Telesales Rep

398. Ginger Thompson, Reporter

399. Beau Tidwell, Pagination

400. Barbara Tierney, Staff Editor

401. Judy Tong, Web Producer

402. Vivian Toy, Reporter

403. M. Amedeo Tumolillo, Producer

404. Don Van Natta, Former National Correspondent

405. George Vecsey, Retired

406. Helen Verongos, Staff Editor

407. Victoria Vila, Former Staff Editor

408. Mitch Vinicor, Staff Editor

409. Paul Vitello, Reporter

410. Carol Vogel, Culture Reporter

411. Joyce Wadler, Reporter

412. Daniel Wakin, Reporter

413. Matthew Wald, Reporter

414. Savannah Walker, Editor

415. Mary Walsh, Reporter, Business

416. Joe Ward, Graphics Editor

417. Nancy Wartik, Community Moderator

418. Ruby Washington, Staff Photographer

419. Bruce Weber, Reporter

420. Emily Weiner, Graphics Editor, Retired

421. Emily Weinstein, Producer

422. Ben Weiser, Reporter

423. Steven Weisman, Former correspondent/editor

424. Sarah Wheaton, Mobile Politics Editor

425. Jessica White, Staff Artist

426. LeAnn Wilcox, Society News

427. Carolyn Wilder, Retiree

428. John Noble Wilford, Retired science reporter

429. Timothy Williams, Reporter

430. Damon Winter, Staff Photographer

431. Alex Witchel, Staff Writer, Magazine

432. Edward Wong, Foreign Correspondent, Beijing

433. John Woods, Staff Editor

434. Robert Worth, Reporter

435. Milton Wrigley, Security Officer

436. Lee Yarosh, Art Director

437. Marilynn K. Yee, Staff Photographer

438. Roberta Zeff, Staff Editor

439. Flora Zhang, Web Producer