Bargaining Update: Let’s Hear it for Dianne

We have to hand it to Dow Jones CPO Dianne DeSevo—she knows how to spin a tale.

In case you missed it, DeSevo shared the company’s recap of Thursday’s contract bargaining session.

“Our increased combined wage proposal for years one and two is now 7.25%,” DeSevo wrote late this afternoon in a note to all Dow Jones staff, “with the lower-paid one-third of the IAPE bargaining unit receiving even higher increases, up to 14%.”

She’s right, you know. In fact, 13 IAPE-represented employees would receive pay increases equaling 14.07% under the proposal offered by the company today.

Thirteen.

So, let’s be honest about the big issues that remain on the bargaining table. DeSevo is 100% correct to say “we remain far apart on wages.” But to suggest that the union has ignored “multiple increases” in the company’s wage proposal is disingenuous.

IAPE members are keenly aware that Dow Jones has moved from proposals of 3% for 2023, 3% for 2024 and 3% for 2025, to a proposal today that—when the “combined” years one and two raises are split in two—add 0.625% to those proposals for 2023 and 2024.

And what else are we forgetting . . . oh, right. Still not retroactive.

And DeSevo is right that the IAPE Board of Directors’ decision to authorize a strike vote is “unfortunate,” but not because of “progress the parties have made.” We would argue precisely the opposite.

Look, the proposal document presented by IAPE today speaks for itself. IAPE members are speaking out, too. The company hears us, loud and clear.

Asia Layoffs

The union is sorry to learn that eight reporters from the Hong Kong and Singapore offices have been laid off from the company. With more than 30 years of combined experience and expertise at The Wall Street Journal, they covered China, technology and markets, winning some of journalism’s highest awards.

As WSJ Editor in Chief Emma Tucker noted today, “it is difficult to say goodbye.” But it appears to be getting easier for Dow Jones after laying off dozens of reporters in Washington and overseas and several Sales, Technology and Content Management staff since the beginning of the year. 

We don’t know why News Corp is hellbent on cutting jobs and denying us inflation-adjusted cost-of-living increases at a time of record revenues and subscriptions, but management sure loves talking about everything AI right now. 

Unfortunately, Dow Jones employees are bracing for more likely cuts in the coming weeks – even though Chief Financial Officer Susan Lee Panuccio boasted in February that it was “pleasing” that News Corp was already ahead of its targets for layoff-related cost cuts.

As for employees, we’re a lot less stoked. We’re sad to have lost some great colleagues in Asia – especially since the savings on their salaries wouldn’t even cover four days’ worth of News Corp stock buybacks this week. 

While Dow Jones likes to tout its tiny 0.25% increase in wages (over two years), IAPE members have seen *zero* respect, compassion or empathy from the company for how hard this wage freeze, no back pay and constant fear of layoffs has been on our hard-working employees and their families. #WeDeserveBetter #WeDeserveMore

Let's Lunch!

ACTION REMINDER!

Tomorrow, join your IAPE colleagues for a coordinated one-hour lunch break in the office Thursday, May 2 at 2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CDT/11:00 a.m. PDT.

We will talk more about the IAPE Board's approval for a membership strike vote, the current state of bargaining and how we can escalate to get a better, stronger contract. We deserve a fair contract now!

To participate:

1. Set your Slack/Gmail avatar to an IAPE logo 

2. Wear an IAPE or red T-shirt and join your colleagues in the office that day! 

3. Take the coordinated one-hour break in your office’s designated area, or join remotely via Zoom!

Remote workers - see your email for a Zoom link.

New York - 3rd Floor Cafeteria

Chicago - Central Break Room

Los Angeles - Kitchen Area

Princeton - Building 1 Cafeteria

San Francisco - Kitchen on 11

Washington - Dining Room

TOWN HALLS
Join our next Town Hall sessions on May 6th at 12:00 p.m. EDT and May 7th at 4:00 p.m. EDT to hear from IAPE leadership and CAT members on bargaining and escalation.

Sign up for May 6th, here.

Sign up for May 7th, here.

IAPE Board Approves Strike Vote

The Board of Directors of the Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (IAPE), Local 1096 of The NewsGuild-CWA, today authorized a strike vote to be conducted by its members working at Dow Jones & Company.

The member referendum will be the first such vote in the union’s 87-year history.

“Today, the IAPE Board of Directors responded to a call for action,” said Local 1096 President, Jodi Green. “That call came from our members, who have expressed their displeasure with Dow Jones management’s contract proposals. Our members demand stronger collective action to protest the company’s contract offer.”

IAPE, which represents more than 1,400 employees at Dow Jones locations across the United States and Canada—including newsroom, technology, sales and administration staff at The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch, Factiva and other Dow Jones products—has been locked in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement since June 13, 2023.

The contract between the union and the company expired on April 1, 2024 following a series of negotiated extensions.

Under the union’s Bylaws, IAPE Board authorization to call a membership strike vote is the first step in a three-stage process before members are permitted to walk off the job. A majority of IAPE members must vote in favor of strike action, and the Executive Board of CWA must approve a strike against Dow Jones.

The union intends to schedule a secret-ballot membership vote as quickly as possible. In the meantime, contract negotiations between IAPE representatives and Dow Jones management will continue.

IAPE is seeking significant wage increases retroactive to July 1, 2023, a strict cap on increases to monthly healthcare premiums and better job security protections—including against advances in artificial intelligence—as well as derivative rights for any employee aiming to license material they created as the basis for a book, film, television series, podcast, or other similar publication.

Dow Jones has proposed annual pay raises at sub-inflation rates and the flexibility to increase healthcare premiums for employees with dependents by as much as 30%. Management has rejected all other remaining union proposals.

If approved by IAPE members, a Dow Jones walkout would be the 29th strike in 2024 by The NewsGuild-CWA unions.

ACTION ALERT

The company has still not meaningfully engaged in bargaining and is withholding full back pay for our members. Let’s show them how serious we are.

Join your IAPE colleagues for a coordinated 1-hour lunch break in the office Thursday, May 2 at 2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CDT/11:00 a.m. PDT. We’ll be decorating picket signs and preparing for future escalations.

We will also talk more about bargaining and how we can escalate to get a better, stronger contract. We deserve a fair contract now.

To participate:

1. Set your Slack/Gmail avatar to an IAPE logo 

2. Wear an IAPE or red T-shirt and join your colleagues in the office that day! 

3. Take the coordinated one-hour break in your office’s designated area, or join remotely via Zoom!

In-person meet-up spots will be sent out via email for each office soon!

For remote folks or those on assignment, you can join a virtual lunch-in with your colleagues! Sign up for the Zoom link, here.

TOWN HALLS
Join our next Town Hall sessions on May 6th at 12:00 p.m. EDT and May 7th at 4:00 p.m. EDT to hear from IAPE leadership and CAT members on bargaining and escalation.

Sign up for May 6th, here.

Sign up for May 7th, here.

Bargaining Update: Dow Jones & Company . . . Limited

IAPE membership is “a powder keg,” likely to be disappointed (again) by company offer

During a contract bargaining meeting Thursday, Dow Jones negotiators described a new company offer as a “limited” proposal, and it was, in so many ways.

Dow Jones proposal number 18 contained three small moves: a proposal to adjust minimum pay scales by 3.75%—an increase from the company’s previous offer of 3.5%—upon ratification of the contract, an offer to limit health insurance premium increases for members in Canada to the same percentage as the increase in company costs, and a $500 increase in the company’s proposal for a lump sum payable upon ratification of a new deal.

“Any open union proposals not specifically addressed here are rejected,” reads the top line in the new Dow Jones document.

IAPE’s bargaining team noted that the per-employee proposal of $2,000—which management has characterized as a replacement for retroactive pay—is the equivalent of 2% of pay at the median salary for union-represented staff.

Management would not elaborate on why it refuses to present a proposal containing retroactive pay increases—not to mention percentage raises reflecting the cost of living, company performance and market rates. Instead, management representatives opted to criticize the union for a “slow crawl” in union compensation proposals.

IAPE opened negotiations on June 13, 2023—50 meetings ago—with a proposal to immediately increase wages by 15%. The union’s offer has been whittled down to proposals for raises of 8.5% retroactive to July 1, 2023, 5.5% on July 1, 2024, 5.5% on July 1, 2025, and 4.0% on July 1, 2026.

Meanwhile, Dow Jones didn’t even bother to make a wage proposal until nearly two months of negotiations had elapsed. The company’s opening offer of 3.0% in 2023, with raises for 2024 and 2025 to be determined has evolved to its current proposal of a combined Year 1 and Year 2 raise of 7.0%—so, 3.5% per year—payable upon ratification, followed by raises of 3.0% on July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026.

IAPE had no formal response to the company’s “limited” proposal, though union negotiators did warn management that employees are likely to be extremely disappointed by yesterday’s offer. Following a management complaint that, “You’re going to call your members to action,” the IAPE bargaining team responded with words of caution.

“You might be surprised to find out that we’re holding our members back. We are sitting on a powder keg. We have a very engaged and increasingly angry membership.”

Negotiations are scheduled to resume next Thursday, May 2.  See your email to sign up for Open Bargaining.

“Ring, Ring Collective Action Calling”
Starting next week, IAPE’s Contract Action Team (CAT) will be calling members 1:1 to take the pulse on upcoming actions. We encourage you to take those calls and provide your input.

If you’ve changed your number or aren’t sure what number is on file, please email union@iape1096.org with your current personal number.

Sign Up for April 23 Town Hall Q&A

We heard you during our recent coffee breaks. You have questions, and we have answers.

Join IAPE members next Tuesday, April 23 at 3:00 p.m. EDT for a Town Hall Q&A. Union representatives will provide a quick update on contract negotiations and collective actions, but as the name implies, we’ll also take time to answer your questions. Either submit questions ahead of time through this signup form or raise your hand during the Town Hall.

This area of bargaining—in negotiations for 311 days and counting and working without a contract—is a bit uncharted for many IAPE members and it is important that we all are on the same page. If you are not sure of something, don’t be afraid to ask. There are probably several other members with the same questions as you.

Sign up for our Town Hall meeting here.

IAPE Slack
If you haven’t joined IAPE Slack yet, here’s another chance!

IAPE Slack serves as a community for union members to come together, find resources, and coordinate collective actions in a space outside of Dow Jones platforms. We host a great live vent session during all Open Bargaining sessions and those have helped build a sense of community and IAPE power.

Join us! Sign up for IAPE Slack here.

Bargaining Update: Let’s Be Honest

Negotiations between IAPE and Dow Jones continued Thursday morning and opened with a bang as management reacted to the union's latest proposal.

Objecting to union claims the company’s April 11 proposal would actually pay members less than a proposal offered March 21 (it would), management representatives complained that IAPE is not being “intellectually honest” with characterizations of company proposals.

Intellectually honest. That’s an interesting choice of words. Let’s consider what IAPE members have experienced over the past several months.

For quarter after quarter after quarter after quarter after quarter after quarter after quarter (we could go on), IAPE members have heard company officials tout record Dow Jones revenues, EBITDA and profit margins. CEO Almar Latour has credited staff for “strong business results . . . not possible without your hard work and commitment to our mission.”

And yet, instead of being rewarded for their contributions to the company’s bottom line, IAPE members have seen real wages decline thanks to the cost of living. Members work every day under the cloud of a constant threat of layoffs. The frequency of disciplinary meetings has increased, particularly in News departments. Morale has tanked.

As one member said to an IAPE Director, referring to WSJ management, “I hope they know what they are breaking.”

Meanwhile, for 310 days (and counting), IAPE negotiators have repeatedly told their company counterparts: members deserve real pay increases, retroactive to July 1, 2023, with affordable healthcare. That message was repeated in the latest IAPE proposal document: “The union continues to insist on retroactivity and real pay increases reflecting company performance, market rates and increases to the cost of living.”

So let’s be honest about the company's proposals: for management to propose that its first wage increase under our next contract must be effective only upon ratification, and not retroactive, is tantamount to a ten-month (or longer) wage freeze. IAPE has accepted wage freezes before, when the news business was in a generally dismal condition. This is not 2010.

Dow Jones negotiators are sure to say their proposal is not a wage freeze. And it is true, the company has proposed a combined Year 1 and 2 raise of 7.00%. That combination proposal with a $1,500 lump sum payment as a substitute for retroactive pay still lags behind what Guild peers at The New York Times received last year, and still falls well short of returning member wages to pre-2019 levels, when adjusted for inflation.

To be honest, this company can do better.

What Else Did We Talk About?
During Thursday’s bargaining session, IAPE made other claims the company is sure to take issue with. Just so everyone is on the same page, here are some other comparisons and data points raised by the union during today’s meeting:

• “The healthcare information you shared . . . confirms for us that the company’s 2023 actual costs are under the projected annual amounts by approximately $2,000 per employee.” From Total Company Cost data provided by Dow Jones Benefits, over multiple years of negotiations.

• “We see . . . a group purchasing healthcare with lower deductibles, lower maximum-out-of-pocket amounts, lower copays and significantly better coinsurance.” Referring to a comparison of 2024 Dow Jones and New York Times health care information.

IAPE also questioned the company’s characterization of union proposals over book leaves and derivative rights as “non-economic items.”

“For the company, we agree, they are,” IAPE rep Tim Martell said. “We do not believe that our proposals in this area will cost the company a dime. But for the relatively few members who are able to pursue external projects, we think clear contract language establishing an employee’s rights to use work they created is necessary.”

Except to complain about the apparent lack of progress made today—despite a key IAPE counter-proposal on introductory scales and an offer to agree to the company’s last proposal regarding the Day After Thanksgiving as a holiday—Dow Jones had no response to today’s union proposals.

Bargaining is scheduled to resume next Thursday, April 25.

Bargaining Update: The Thing About Math

Negotiations between IAPE and Dow Jones continued Thursday, in front of another record-high number of IAPE member observers who witnessed management present a new, comprehensive contract proposal.

(Remember: you can follow the progression of IAPE and Dow Jones proposals at our 2023-24 Bargaining page.)

Dow Jones Proposal 17 restated many of the company’s previous proposals, with small moves in areas like minimum scale increases.

Management also made another small adjustment in its wage proposal, moving from its Mar. 21 offer of a combined Year 1 & 2 raise of 6.75% effective May 1, 2024, to a new combined Year 1 & 2 raise of 7.00% effective upon ratification of a new contract.

Sounds like progress, right? It’s actually not. We’ll explain why.

Before we do, an IAPE correction is necessary.

In our Mar. 22 member update, we criticized Dow Jones for claiming, “The Company’s current proposal would result in a total compensation package that surpasses those reached at our peer companies, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Reuters in their recent labor negotiations.”

We focused on the 2023 contract settlement at The New York Times, and said, “We did the math.”

During an Apr. 4 bargaining session, Dow Jones claimed our calculations were wrong—that instead of a wage gap between Dow Jones proposals and NY Times pay by as much as 2.60% as IAPE claimed, the gap was much smaller: 1.42% for the median IAPE wage earner; 0.96% for members earning between $100,000 and $119,999; 0.79% for those paid between $120,000 and $159,999; and 0.51% for those paid above $160,000.

And you know what? The company was right about this. See for yourself, we’re not embarrassed to show our work. Because it helps us demonstrate that the company’s new proposal—still offering a $1,500 payment as a replacement for retroactive pay, and still combining two years’ worth of pay increases into one—actually pays less money to members than the Dow Jones proposal from last month.

We did the math. Again.

By pushing the effective date for its new Year 1 & 2 proposal beyond May 1, 2024 and making it “Effective on ratification”—we’re using June 1 as a hypothetical date for purposes of this exercise—the  0.25% “increase” actually becomes a 0.05% reduction compared to last month’s offer.

And it still trails behind last year’s wage settlement at The Times.

IAPE and Dow Jones will return to the bargaining table on Apr. 18. Members are again encouraged to join open bargaining as observers. See your email to register. We also recommend signing up for IAPE Slack, where members continue to plan collective actions like . . .

The IAPE Coffee Break: Nicely Done
Thanks to all members who responded quickly to our call for a coordinated coffee break yesterday afternoon in support of eleven members laid off Wednesday in another round of cuts by Dow Jones management. Members gathered en masse at company offices in New York, with smaller gatherings at other bureaus and on Zoom.

Stay tuned for more member action announcements from the IAPE Contract Action Team. If you’re interested in joining the CAT and helping with event planning, email union@iape1096.org for volunteer information.

Open Bargaining Today and a Coffee Break

Yesterday, Dow Jones laid off 11 IAPE members and some of our non-union colleagues. We're furious and heartbroken for those who lost their jobs.

After more than 300 days of bargaining, we continue to ask the company to recognize our work with a fair contract. Instead they’re cutting jobs despite record profits, avoiding questions about rumored restructuring and holding a town hall about artificial intelligence instead of negotiating with us about it at the bargaining table.

So what can we do about it?

Join open bargaining at 10:00 a.m. EDT. See your email to register.

Later today, join your colleagues in your bureau or on Zoom for a 15-minute coffee break at 4:00 p.m. EDT / 3:00 p.m. CDT / 1:00 p.m. PDT. If your managers expect you to be working at that time, tell them you’re busy. Let’s show solidarity for our colleagues who were laid off and discuss future actions.

In-person break locations will be announced later today. Join our coffee break via Zoom (meeting link emailed to all members).

Set your away message on Slack to "I'm on a coordinated coffee break in solidarity with our colleagues laid off this week. No more layoffs! Fair contract now!"

We’re sick of the way management is treating us—now is the time to show it!

CAT Action: Join “Mobilizing 1:1 Conversations”

As IAPE’s Bargaining Committee prepares to resume negotiations with Dow Jones on Thursday, the union’s Contract Action Team (CAT) is hard at work continuing to plan member activities to build support for a fair contract. And we could use your help!

Tomorrow, the IAPE CAT is hosting our second “mobilizing 1:1 conversations” basic boot camp! We will be learning how to have effective conversations with our colleagues—to build solidarity and move them to action!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, April 9 at 6:30 p.m. EDT!

Sign up using this link: https://forms.gle/cS5wZUxEf1xUrG5Z6

Invite your friends! Invite your colleagues! Invite your community!