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.
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?