New York, September 15 (RHC)-- More than one thousand New York Times staffers have been refusing to return to the office and threatening to go on a strike if the company rejects its workers' demands.

Earlier this week, the Times Guild said it had delivered a letter to the newspaper's management with the names of nearly 1,300 NewsGuild member employees, who had signed a petition for continuing to work remotely this week, the first week the company wants its journalists back in the office.

The union said that to return to office required certain procedures and therefore followed the same negotiating category as “provisions for fair wages, equitable treatment for members," and other matters related to the NYT workplace's  "health and safety, [and] should be a part of our negotiated contracts.” “We will continue to produce high-quality, award-winning work, while reminding the company it cannot unilaterally change our working conditions,” the union added.

A New York Times spokesperson replied to the staffers' petition on Tuesday, saying the newspaper believed that the flexibility to work both at home and at the office created a better working condition that benefited both management and labor.

“We continue to believe that allowing people the flexibility to work together in the office at times and remotely at other times will benefit everyone by ensuring that we maintain the strong, collaborative environment that has come to define our culture and drive our success,” the spokesperson told The Hill.