Los Angeles Times Journalists Authorize a Strike

Los Angeles Times journalists have voted to authorize a strike in a move that ratchets up the pressure on management after three long years of contract negotiations.

Eighty-five percent of members who belong to the newsroom’s union and participated in the vote opted to allow the labor group to call a strike. The union, a Local of the Media Guild of the West, represents more than 200 reporters, editors, photographers, designers and others at L.A.’s hometown paper. Around 98 percent of those participated in the vote.

The move only gives the union the ability to call a strike; it does not guarantee that one will take place, and no date has been set. But it’s a significant effort on the part of the union to apply pressure to management after an unusually long contract negotiations period