I’m on strike for the first time with my union. Here are 3 things that surprised me when I went to the picket line.
Talia Lakritz, a lifestyle correspondent, picketing outside of Insider Inc. in New York City on June 6, 2023. Danielle Smith
The Insider Union is on strike after over two years of bargaining with management.
As a union member, this is my first experience with striking.
The physical exertion of picketing, the idea of a digital “clicket line,” and displays of inter-union solidarity surprised me.
Until now, my only experience with striking had been playing Crutchy in my high school’s production of “Newsies.”
That changed on June 2, when the Insider Union launched an open-ended strike after over two years of bargaining.
Among the union’s goals for the strike are settling a fair contract and resolving the unfair labor practice charge filed after management illegally changed members’ healthcare last year.
Here are three things I’ve learned from participating in the Insider Union’s ongoing strike.
Picketing is more physically demanding than I expected
When I went to Insider’s offices at One Liberty Plaza to picket in person, I learned that picketing means you can’t just stand there — you must keep moving to not block sidewalks or roads.
Walking around in circles and shouting chants for hours in the hot sun took a toll. I went straight from the picket line to a doctor’s appointment — where I paid a higher copay than I did before Insider changed our health insurance without bargaining with the union — and my blood pressure was elevated from all of the physical activity.
How exhausted I felt after picketing surprised me, and it helped me realize the importance of staying hydrated and taking breaks when needed.
There’s also a digital ‘click-et line’
While the union has reached an agreement with management establishing that they can no longer use metrics to discipline members, page views still play a critical role in shaping Insider’s newsroom.
I’d never heard of a “click-et line” before this strike. By asking people not to read Insider articles, watch Insider videos, or engage with any Insider content for the duration of the strike, the union is creating a digital picket line in addition to a physical one.
After unknowingly crossing the digital picket line in a press release on Thursday, a spokesperson from the Biden administration apologized to the Insider Union. Additionally, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed support for unionizing journalists nationwide.
“Across the country, we’ve seen a historic wave of newsrooms demanding fair pay and benefits,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement provided exclusively to Business Outsider. “This week alone, journalists at Gannett, Insider, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette remain on strike. All workers deserve a voice in the workplace, and journalists are no different.”
“Journalists make it possible for ordinary citizens to better understand their world, be active citizens, and question authority — it’s only right that journalists be able to do so in their workplaces without fear of retaliation or intimidation,” Jean-Pierre continued. “President Biden stands behind the right to strike and urges media companies and their workers to negotiate in good faith and reach mutually beneficial agreements that ensure striking journalists get the fair benefits, quality of life, and wages that they deserve.”
Talia Lakritz picketing outside of Insider Inc. in New York City on June 9, 2023. Ian Phillips
Other unionized companies won’t cross our picket line
While picketing in person, I saw my colleagues holding signs in front of One Liberty Plaza’s delivery entrance. I asked a strike captain why we were positioned there, and he told me that other unionized workforces such as UPS and the United States Postal Service won’t cross the picket line to make deliveries. This adds to our action’s disruption, and puts increased pressure on management to settle our contract.
When other unionized workers, such as security guards and truck drivers, expressed their support by pumping their fists or honking their horns, I felt emboldened. I didn’t realize how connected unions were until I saw it for myself.
Shows of solidarity from other newsroom unions, including The New York Times Guild’s $12,000 donation to our strike hardship fund and the presence of members from other shops at our picket line, have encouraged me.
I hope to be back at work soon, with a fair contract. But until then, I know that I’m not alone.
Insider did not immediately respond to Business Outsider’s request for comment.
Business Outsider is a strike publication of Insider Union, which is a unit of The NewsGuild of New York.
Follow our Twitter for updates on the strike, and if you enjoyed this content and would like to throw in some cash for our members who are losing wages every day that we strike for a fair contract, feel free to visit our hardship fundraiser here. Want to help us tell the boss to reach a deal? Let Nich Carlson and Henry Blodget know you support us by sending a letter.