Unionized employees at The New York Times have filed legal grievances alleging the newspaper is using artificial intelligence to monitor staff in ways that violate their collective bargaining agreements. The complaints were submitted by members of both the New York Times Guild and the Times Tech Guild, who contend that the company is deploying AI tools to surveil employees without proper transparency or consent.

According to Benjamin Harnett, chair of the Tech Guild’s generative AI committee and a Times software engineer, the use of AI in evaluating work undermines human judgment and distorts an accurate assessment of employees’ contributions. Harnett described such surveillance as akin to imposing arbitrary production quotas on journalists, asserting that AI cannot capture the complexity of their work involving critical thinking and problem-solving.

The unions claim that The Times management has repeatedly declined to provide requested information about its use of AI, despite federal requirements instructing employers to share details related to collective bargaining and contract enforcement. The Tech Guild identified three formal requests for information sent in the past two months—on March 26, April 22, and May 6—that reportedly went unanswered.

Efforts to obtain data cover the organization’s current, past, and planned utilization of AI technology, and the unions are seeking to understand its effects on workflow and employee conditions. The dispute arises as the Times Guild, representing over 1,500 editorial, advertising, and support staff, negotiates a new labor contract.

In a statement, a representative of The New York Times said the company disagrees with the unions’ characterization and will address the grievances through the normal contractual process. The spokesperson also indicated that the requested information will be provided in due course, noting a history of compliance with more than 80 similar requests from the Guild in recent years.

On behalf of the Times Guild, the NewsGuild of New York has also filed an unfair labor practice charge concerning the matter. Susan DeCarava, president of the NewsGuild of New York, characterized the situation as emblematic of a broader trend in which workers face unethical surveillance practices through artificial intelligence by employers.

Last week, members of the Times Guild demonstrated outside The New York Times headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, calling for enhanced protections against indiscriminate AI monitoring and advocating for affordable health care benefits. The ongoing labor negotiations and legal actions reflect growing tensions over the appropriate role of AI in newsroom operations and employee oversight.