They’re asking that people stay off NYT games and cooking-related pages:
NYT Games and Cooking are BEHIND THE PICKET LINE. Please don’t play or engage with Games or Cooking content while the strike lasts!
News coverage — including election coverage — is NOT behind the picket line. It’s okay to read and share that, though the site and app may very well have problems.
They make the bulk of their money on things like puzzle games, product reviews, and recipes. The news is kind of a side business.
I feel like I’ve worked in shops like that before. But maybe with a dozen engineers, and two dozen product/marketing/requirement/management/idea-guys. But 600 devs for crossword puzzles and recipes? What are they paying these people?