The Los Angeles Times newsroom guild leaders have called for a one-day walkout to protest planned cuts aimed at offsetting significant financial losses incurred by owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong and his family since acquiring the paper nearly six years ago. The paper recently disclosed a widening budget deficit, which will result in substantial layoffs. This marks the newsroom’s first union-organized work stoppage in its 142-year history. The exact number of newsroom positions to be eliminated has not been publicly disclosed, but sources indicate that at least 100 journalists, or about 20% of the newsroom, will be laid off. This would be the largest staff cut since the paper was owned by Tribune Co.
The proposed layoffs have caused anxiety among the newsroom staff, particularly following the abrupt departure of editor-in-chief Kevin Merida last week. Merida’s concerns about the magnitude of the proposed cuts and their impact on the paper’s journalism and sustainability were reportedly a point of tension with Soon-Shiong. The guild leaders, representing Black, Latino, Asian American, and LGBTQ staff members, have urged Soon-Shiong to avoid undoing the progress made in diversifying the newsroom.
Management has requested that the union’s bargaining unit relax provisions in the contract that protect journalists with seniority from layoffs. In exchange, affected employees would be offered a buyout package. Soon-Shiong aims to make cuts while retaining younger and diverse staff members who have joined the paper in recent years.
The one-day walkout is intended to demonstrate unity and extract concessions from management. Union members are concerned about the potential suspension of seniority protections, which they view as a fundamental principle of the union contract. The company has not disclosed the exact number of jobs to be cut.
Since acquiring the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2018, Soon-Shiong has faced challenges in making the organization self-supporting. The COVID-19 pandemic, a changing news landscape, and financial headwinds have hindered progress. Last summer, the San Diego paper was sold to MediaNews Group, owned by Alden Global Capital.
The news industry as a whole has experienced job cuts, with major media companies and publishers reducing their workforce. The Los Angeles Times is reviewing its revenue projections and expenses to address the budgetary challenges.