Make release labels optional

.github/scripts/label_utils.py

@@ -22,9 +22,7 @@
 
 LABEL_ERR_MSG_TITLE = "This PR needs a `release notes:` label"
 LABEL_ERR_MSG = f"""# {LABEL_ERR_MSG_TITLE}
-If your change should be included in the release notes (i.e. would users of this library care about this change?), please use a label starting with `release notes:`.
-
-If not, please add the `release notes: none` label.
+If your change should be included in the release notes (i.e. would users of this library care about this change?), please use a label starting with `release notes:`. This helps us keep track and include your important work in the next release notes.
 
 To add a label, you can comment to pytorchbot, for example
 `@pytorchbot label "release notes: none"`

.github/scripts/trymerge.py

@@ -59,12 +59,7 @@
     patterns_to_regex,
     retries_decorator,
 )
-from label_utils import (
-    gh_add_labels,
-    gh_remove_label,
-    has_required_labels,
-    LABEL_ERR_MSG,
-)
+from label_utils import gh_add_labels, gh_remove_label
 from trymerge_explainer import get_revert_message, TryMergeExplainer
 
 # labels
@@ -2116,9 +2111,6 @@ def merge(
     # Check for approvals
     find_matching_merge_rule(pr, repo, skip_mandatory_checks=True)
 
-    if not has_required_labels(pr):
-        raise RuntimeError(LABEL_ERR_MSG.lstrip(" #"))
-
     if ignore_current:
         checks = pr.get_checkrun_conclusions()
         _, failing, _ = categorize_checks(

.github/workflows/check-labels.yml

@@ -51,4 +51,4 @@ jobs:
           PR_NUM: ${{ github.event.number || github.event.inputs.pr_number }}
         run: |
           set -ex
-          python3 .github/scripts/check_labels.py --exit-non-zero "${PR_NUM}"
+          python3 .github/scripts/check_labels.py "${PR_NUM}"