The Los Angeles Times building in El Segundo, California. Michael Buckner/Penske Media/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment 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. Unions tend to complain after negotiators have been at the bargaining table for one year - three is something else entirely. Related Stories Business Exiting Directors Guild President Signs Off With Memo on "Massive Transition" Ahead for Hollywood Business Commercial Production Workers Ratify First Union Contract "These negotiations have dragged on for far too long, and today's vote results show that our members are fed up," L.A. Times Guild chair Matt Hamilton, an investigative reporter at the paper, said in a statement. "Now is the time for management to come to the table with a proposal that is truly fair for our members and helps restore The Times." The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the Los Angeles Times for comment. With their next contract, the journalists are pushing for raises that take into account recent inflation, protections against the outsourcing of their work and new language around layoffs. In the last three years, the newsroom's bargaining unit has been whittled down from around 450 to a little more than 200 members. During that same time, layoffs and buyouts have swept the company multiple times. More to come. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up UTA Shilo Sanders Signs With UTA in All Non-Sports Areas (Exclusive) creator economy The Definitive Guide to the Creators EcoSphere Warner Bros. Discovery David Ellison "Can't Comment" on a Potential Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Deal Fox Fox Entertainment Takes Equity Stake in AI-Microdramas Company Holywater YouTube YouTube Rolls Out Program to Give Creators Who Were Banned a "Second Chance" on Platform Paramount Paramount Hires Roku Exec as Chief Revenue Officer UTA Shilo Sanders Signs With UTA in All Non-Sports Areas (Exclusive) creator economy The Definitive Guide to the Creators EcoSphere Warner Bros. Discovery David Ellison "Can't Comment" on a Potential Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Deal Fox Fox Entertainment Takes Equity Stake in AI-Microdramas Company Holywater YouTube YouTube Rolls Out Program to Give Creators Who Were Banned a "Second Chance" on Platform Paramount Paramount Hires Roku Exec as Chief Revenue Officer