Seattle Times journalists picket over AI, demand job protections in contract talks

Seattle Times Union members picketed outside the paper's offices, demanding guarantees that AI won't replace newsroom jobs. The company agreed to bar AI from conducting interviews and writing articles but declined to extend protections to photojournalists, copy editors and social media producers. Contract talks have been stalled for six months over wages and AI use.

• Picket comes six months into stalled contract negotiations
• Company agreed to ban AI from interviews and writing articles
• Protections excluded photojournalists, copy editors, producers
• Union petition has gathered more than 1,600 signatures