IAPE @ Work: Still Talking Covid

Looking for Help at Home
More than ten months after Dow Jones employees were first instructed to work from their homes in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, Dow Jones and IAPE are still at odds over additional assistance for staff.

During a Jan. 20 meeting between union and management representatives, Dow Jones failed to respond to any of the union’s remaining Covid proposals: additional dependent care assistance and an increase to the equipment and technology stipend.

At a Labor/Management Committee meeting on Jan. 28, IAPE asked for clarification on the types of equipment now eligible for reimbursement under the IAPE physical fitness reimbursement program (Dow Jones confirmed that, yes, bicycle purchases are covered expenses), as well as plans for returning to offices and whether management is monitoring vaccine availability for employees of media companies.

If you have a question about the current work environment and you can’t find the answer on the Dow Jones Coronavirus microsite, contact the union office or your area IAPE representative.

Goal-Setting, Promotions, Social Media and Job Titles
At that same Jan. 28 meeting, the Labor/Management group discussed a number of other items, including goal-setting in the new Glint performance-review system. IAPE members who had been instructed to enter goals provided by their manager have asked whether managers have the ability to insert those goals into the Glint system themselves. The answer, apparently, is yes, but that there is no difference in how that information is recorded, regardless of whether the goal is entered by the employee or manager.

Just a reminder: setting goals is an optional activity for employees.

IAPE also shared member concerns about promotions -- whether they are available, why they take so long to be approved, and so on. The union also questioned revisions to the News social media policy, and asked for examples of what management believes is, and is not, acceptable for staff to share, post and tweet.

The Dow Jones and IAPE Committee discussed a formal job classification for employees holding the Columnist job title, and a proposal to reclassify staff in the Heard on the Street section as “Heard Writers.”

The IAPE/DJ contract requires formal job classification and pay scale for titles occupied by three or more IAPE-represented employees. Accurate classifications are important for determining pay increases and seniority within a department.

Cutting Part-Time Pay? That’s A Grievance!
Dow Jones recently informed IAPE it was unilaterally ending a long-standing practice in Bowling Green, Ohio, where part-time employees have historically been paid for a full shift regardless of the number of hours they were required to work.

IAPE has filed a grievance on behalf of two current part-timers to have that paid time restored. The grievance was discussed at the most-recent meeting of IAPE and Dow Jones joint committees on Jan. 28. Other pending grievances include disputes over disciplinary letters and incentive payments.

If you have a workplace concern you believe should be addressed by the IAPE Grievance, Classification or Labor/Management committees, please contact IAPE at union@iape1096.org.

IAPE 101 on Wednesday, 2 p.m. ET 
What is a union? How did I end up in one? What are the benefits of being in a union? How does IAPE work? All of these questions and more will be answered at this new member orientation for those brand new to IAPE and veteran members alike. If you’ve recently joined Dow Jones, or if you’ve recently been reclassified into an IAPE-represented title, and you’ve been wondering what it means to be in a union, this is the class for you!

See the IAPE Events Page to register and receive a Zoom link for this information session.