IAPE Board Meets Saturday

Your IAPE Board of Directors will hold its semi-annual meeting via Zoom this Saturday, Sept. 18. The September meeting of the IAPE Board sets budget and spending priorities for the union for the next fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1. IAPE Directors will consider budget proposals tied to IAPE plans for 2022 contract negotiations with Dow Jones, which will kick off in May of next year.

Members who are interested in attending should register via our website Events Page. Start time for Saturday’s meeting is 9:30 a.m. EDT; business should be concluded by 5:00 p.m.

If you’re not able to join us, but would still like to submit comments for the IAPE Board to consider, please contact your director or send a note to union@iape1096.org.

Steward 101, September 22
Interested in becoming an IAPE steward to advocate for your fellow members? While you’re browsing the IAPE Events page, please feel free to register for our next Steward 101 session scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 22. In this class, we’ll cover the role and rights of a steward as well as the best practices to properly represent and empower your fellow members.

Lump Sum Payments -- Yes, They Were a Little Larger Than Expected
If you thought the lump sum payment you received last month was slightly larger than expected, you were right.

The negotiated target lump sum, originally set at 0.5% of pay as of June 30, was reduced to 0.25% as a result of the “upside protection” increase in July 1 pay raises. However, Article IV of the IAPE contract provides a formula for calculating our lump-sum payments:

“The actual lump sum payment will track the funding level of the Company’s management bonus (“AIP”) plan, as determined by the Company, from 0% to 200% funded. For example, funding of the AIP at 90% would result in a lump sum of .45%. Funding of the AIP at 110% would result in a lump sum of .55%.”

This year, the Dow Jones management bonus was funded at a whopping 170%. As a result, that lump sum payment you received was paid at 0.425% of your salary.

IAPE Welcomes Marlena Fitzpatrick Garcia!

IAPE is pleased to announce the hiring of Marlena Fitzpatrick Garcia as our new Staff Representative/Mobilizer, starting after our return from the Labor Day weekend on Sept. 7.

Marlena (she/her/ella) is a writer, activist, and musician from Puerto Rico, living in New York. She was the musical theater business representative for American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 802. Prior to that she was the Spanish Language Media Industry Relations Manager for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA).

In her new role with IAPE, Marlena will support the union’s campaign for a new collective bargaining agreement with Dow Jones, as well as other initiatives throughout the year. She will work daily with IAPE officers and directors, as well as the union’s bargaining committee, stewards and the membership across the U.S. and Canada. 

Marlena has a Master of Fine Arts in Bilingual Creative Writing from the University of Texas, El Paso and a Master of Arts in Labor Relations from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. You can find her bylines at: Uforia Música, Latino Rebels, The Huffington Post, Enclave Magazine, Alternet, NPR Latino USA, and Allegro magazine, the AFM publication.

Follow Marlena on Twitter and Instagram: @Marlenafitz. You’ll be able to reach Marlena at marlena.fitzpatrick@iape1096.org.

Welcome to IAPE, Marlena!

Wednesday: IAPE 101
When you were hired by Dow Jones, were you surprised to learn that you were a union-represented employee? Have you ever wondered about your rights as a union member? If you have a half-hour to spare Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. EDT, please join us for the next installment of IAPE 101 and see if we can answer your questions.

IAPE 101 is a Zoom presentation addressing the basics of IAPE membership: What is a union? How does IAPE function? How does IAPE fit into Dow Jones? What are the benefits of union membership? All these questions and more will be covered in this class, perfect for those brand new to IAPE, or even for veteran members interested in learning more about their union. All members are welcome; register today on the IAPE Events page.

Looking Forward To A Long Weekend!
Next Monday is Labor Day (or, for our members in Canada, Labour Day), our favorite (favourite) holiday of the year!

It’s also a holiday recognized by the IAPE/DJ contract and we hope you are able to enjoy a safe and happy long weekend with family and friends. However, if you are required to work next Monday, you are entitled to Holiday Pay: time and one-half for any regularly scheduled hours, and double-time for any hours in excess of your regular day (plus another day off, or an additional day's pay -- it’s your choice).

Holiday Pay must be claimed via the Company’s Workday system; if you encounter any difficulty in filing for additional compensation in Workday, please let us know and we’ll help you get paid for the time you worked.

Support For Dow Jones Vaccine, Testing Plans

82% of IAPE members say “Yes” to vaccine requirement

IAPE TNG-CWA Local 1096 welcomes today’s announcement from Dow Jones CEO Almar Latour and Interim People Advisor Meredith Lubitz concerning the company’s plans for reopening U.S. offices on a voluntary basis.

Dow Jones plans to restrict building access to those who have been vaccinated against Coronavirus or have received a negative Covid-19 test during the seven days prior to an office visit. In addition, the Phase 2 date for volunteering to return to a Dow Jones office has been pushed back to Sept. 13.

Details of the company’s plans were shared with IAPE representatives on Monday, after IAPE President Jodi Green called on Dow Jones to tighten vaccine requirements.

“We note that Article XIX of the collective agreement states, ‘The Company will comply with federal, state and local standards to provide a safe and healthy workplace,’” Green wrote, in an Aug. 13 email to Dow Jones Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Tom Maher. “On the subject of vaccination requirements, we believe IAPE and Dow Jones should adopt a higher safety standard and demonstrate the leadership necessary to ensure the safety of all employees.”

The union supports these Phase 2 measures, even though they fall short of the “vaccine mandates” implemented at other businesses and favored by 81.8% of those who responded to an Aug. 10 IAPE survey.

Employees who opt for in-office work during Phase 2 will be required to complete a health screening questionnaire prior to entering a Dow Jones location, and must attest to being vaccinated for Coronavirus, or if not, have been tested and received a negative result prior to coming into the office.

Failing to provide honest questionnaire responses will be considered a violation of the Dow Jones Code of Conduct. Code infractions are addressed under the “Compliance” section, which reads, in part: “The matters addressed by this code are sufficiently important that any lapse in judgment within the areas covered here may be considered serious enough to warrant discipline up to and including dismissal.”

IAPE remains concerned, however, about Dow Jones plans for Phase 3 office reopenings, described in today’s Latour/Lubitz note:

“Additionally, we continue to prepare for our official re-entry launch for all of our global locations. While we are still confirming the details, we know that it will include a compulsory, but flexible working experience. More details will be shared soon. We will provide at least a month’s notification to allow for you to plan appropriately.”

IAPE has repeatedly insisted that it must be included in discussions of any plans affecting the union-represented workforce, and calls on Dow Jones to return to the bargaining table to negotiate over any “compulsory” work assignments.

81.8% of IAPE members responding to an Aug. 10 survey favor a vaccination requirement for those working at a Dow Jones office. See full survey results here.

IAPE Survey: Should Vaccines Be Required?

As we get closer to September 7th and the beginning of Phase 2 of the Dow Jones plan for returning to office spaces, we would appreciate your responses to our six-question survey (emailed to all IAPE-represented employees), including an answer to this: “Should Dow Jones grant in-office access to only those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and those exempt for medical reasons or sincerely held religious beliefs?”

Your anonymous responses will help guide IAPE proposals as the union continues to negotiate with Dow Jones over items related to in-office and remote working.

To be clear, neither Dow Jones nor IAPE have proposed a vaccine mandate for those working at company facilities, and current guidance on the Dow Jones coronavirus microsite states, “You do not need to be vaccinated to return to the workplace, but you will need to follow all health and safety protocols, such as health screening and wearing a mask.” With recent news of employers like The Washington Post, Google and Facebook implementing vaccination requirements, and with IAPE members asking whether a mandate has been considered at Dow Jones, your IAPE representatives felt this was the right time to follow up on surveys presented to IAPE members in March.

Thanks in advance for your feedback. If you have any questions or concerns about this survey, Dow Jones Phase 2 plans, or any aspect of in-office or remote work, please let us know.

Tomorrow: Contract 101 - Job Security
If you’re available tomorrow between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. EDT, please join us for the next edition of our Contract 101 series. In tomorrow’s class, we’ll focus on job security, including how working from home affects your seniority.

IAPE’s Contract 101 classes are in-depth reviews of specific sections of our collective agreement with Dow Jones, and are designed to focus on our contract benefits, as well as highlight areas where changes will be necessary when we negotiate with management in 2022.

To register, please see our Events page. Zoom links will be emailed to registered attendees prior to tomorrow’s class.

Tomorrow: Join Us For IAPE 101

When you were hired by Dow Jones, were you surprised to learn that you were a union-represented employee? Have you ever wondered about your rights as a union member? If you have a half-hour to spare tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. EDT, please join us for the next installment of IAPE 101 and see if we can answer your questions.

IAPE 101 is a Zoom presentation addressing the basics of IAPE membership: What is a union? How does IAPE function? How does IAPE fit into Dow Jones? What are the benefits of union membership? All these questions and more will be covered in this class, perfect for those brand new to IAPE, or even for veteran members interested in learning more about their union. All members are welcome; register today on the IAPE Events page.

IAPE Raises Paid July 15th
Each IAPE member eligible for 2021 pay increases should have noticed an increase in their rate of pay and their corresponding Jul. 15 pay deposit.

As we mentioned last month, IAPE-covered employees eligible for our compensatory increase -- our negotiated percentage raise -- received raises of 2.75%, a quarter-percent hike from the 2.5% negotiated in 2019.

Members eligible for our minimum-dollar raise or an IAPE scale increase likely noticed a bigger bump in pay. Employees covered by the IAPE contract, and hired prior to May 1 in the contract year, are always entitled to the largest of our three forms of negotiated pay increase: the compensatory increase, a scale advancement for employees paid according to our introductory pay scales or, for full-time employees earning gross wages of less than $1,000 per week, a minimum-dollar weekly raise of no less than $25.

IAPE reps will review all pay adjustments to make sure each union-represented employee’s raise has been calculated accurately. If you have a question about your 2021 raise, please contact IAPE at union@iape1096.org.

IAPE & DJ Committees Meet Thursday
This Thursday -- and on the fourth Thursday of every month -- IAPE and Dow Jones representatives will get together for meetings of our Grievance, Labor/Management and Classification Committees.

These joint committees -- all described in the IAPE/DJ contract -- are the groups responsible for much of IAPE’s mid-contract discussions and conflict resolution with Dow Jones. No workplace issue is too small, or too big, for our teams to address at these committee tables.

If you have a workplace concern or a question about your job classification, or if you’re interested in becoming a member of one of our committees, please let us know!

Warning Letter: Called to a Disciplinary Meeting? Know Your Rights!

• IAPE is aware of an uptick in disciplinary proceedings initiated by DJ management.

• These meetings appear to be connected to recent performance reviews.

• IAPE advice: do not attend a disciplinary meeting alone.

• You have the right to union representation – and it will help!

• If you have been summoned to a disciplinary meeting – or attended a meeting recently and did not realize you have these union rights – please contact us immediately.

IAPE has new concerns about the Dow Jones performance evaluation process and whether managers may be using annual reviews inappropriately as a first step toward disciplinary actions, which could lead to termination of employment. We would like to hear from any member who has received a "Needs Improvement" rating, particularly if you have been summoned to a disciplinary meeting; as always, IAPE holds member personal information in strict confidence.

There are indications that Dow Jones may be attempting to use the Glint process to evade the contract's Job Security Clause, which provides that "[t]here shall be no discharge or other disciplinary action except for just and sufficient cause," which includes "insubordination, infractions of generally recognized and approved standards of business conduct or journalistic ethics, incompetence" or misconduct of similar magnitude.

Just two weeks after a meeting with Dow Jones representatives in which the union requested information about the new process for employee ratings, IAPE is now hearing from members who received "Needs Improvement" ratings and have been summoned to disciplinary meetings that commence a process that could lead to termination of employment. In News departments, for example, we are aware of management requiring certain reporters to write a large quantity of stories in a short period of time, and they will be penalized for teamwork because only single-byline feature stories will receive credit.

Delivering performance expectations and discipline at the same time is at odds with the company’s stated goals for the Glint system, as well as the company’s obligations under our collective bargaining agreement. Typically, employees have been given fair notice of management’s performance concerns and a reasonable chance to address them before Dow Jones initiated the formal disciplinary process.

Materials delivered last year to the union advertised the new Glint process as a way to prompt “more frequent check-in conversations between employees and managers on performance & growth.” However, IAPE evidence indicates that managers in at least some departments believe a negative rating should automatically trigger a follow-up warning letter, rather than constructive guidance from supervisors.

As the union informed members in a Jun. 24 update, Dow Jones officials at the time said there is no automatic follow-up process triggered by poor evaluation ratings. Indeed, connecting disciplinary meetings and warning letters to annual performance reviews would also violate the contract. Article XXI of the agreement reads, “The Company and the Union agree that performance evaluations under this Article shall not be considered disciplinary actions.”

We say none of this to alarm members unnecessarily, but to make you aware of what we have observed, and to remind you that you have rights under the terms of our contact with the company. IAPE will continue to investigate to ensure departments do not use performance reviews as a precursor to discipline, and will defend all IAPE-represented employees against unfair discipline and claims of poor performance.

If you ever receive an invitation to attend a disciplinary meeting, you have the contractual right to attend with the assistance of an IAPE representative. Article XI of the IAPE/DJ agreement requires at least three hours’ advance notice of a disciplinary meeting, and that your invitation to attend must include IAPE contact information. Don’t attend a disciplinary meeting alone. Email union@iape1096.org or contact your local IAPE representative for assistance.

IAPE Raises Boosted by 0.25%

As announced today by the Dow Jones compensation team, the negotiated compensatory raise for eligible IAPE-represented employees has been increased by a quarter-percent to 2.75%. The “upside protection” language in the IAPE/DJ contract has finally paid off.

Under the terms of Article IV of the collective agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones, whenever the “standard merit increase guidance for non-IAPE corporate staff” exceeds the raise negotiated by IAPE and Dow Jones, that negotiated percentage will be boosted to match the corporate rate. The negotiated compensatory increase for 2021 was 2.5%

Dow Jones has confirmed that pay raises, effective July 1, will be calculated and paid on the July 15 pay date, with one day of work (June 30) paid at 2020 rates, and the rest of the pay period at new rates. There will be no requirement for retroactive pay.

IAPE-represented employees hired prior to May 1 are eligible for one of three types of negotiated pay raise: the adjusted compensatory increase of 2.75%, a scale advancement for employees paid according to our introductory pay scales or, for full-time employees earning gross wages of less than $1,000 per week, a minimum-dollar weekly raise of no less than $25. IAPE-represented employees are always entitled to the largest of these pay hikes.

A second negotiated compensation component will also be affected by today’s pay adjustment. In 2019, Dow Jones and IAPE negotiated a series of annual lump sum payments with 2020 and 2021 payments targeted at 0.5% of pay as of June 30, and dependent on the funding level of the management bonus pool. However, today’s 0.25% increase in the 2021 compensatory raise also requires a reduction in the 2021 target bonus.

The lump sum payment will be lowered from 0.5% to 0.25% subject to a further adjustment based on the funding for the management bonus plan. Lump sum payments will be issued in August at the same time as management bonuses are paid.

Tomorrow: Steward 101
As IAPE prepares to discuss future pay raises during new contract negotiations in 2022, it is imperative for the union to beef up its steward ranks. If you’re interested in becoming an IAPE steward to advocate for your fellow members, please register for tomorrow’s Steward 101 class. In this half-hour Zoom session, we’ll cover the role and rights of a steward as well as the best practices to properly represent and empower your fellow members. Please join us, tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. EDT!

Happy Holidays!
Thursday, July 1 is Canada Day. Any IAPE-represented employee in Canada who is required to work on July 1 is entitled to Holiday Pay: time and one-half for any regularly scheduled hours, and double-time for any hours in excess of your regular day – plus another day off, or an additional day's pay, at the discretion of the Company.

Similarly, Sunday, July 4 is Independence Day – but because the holiday falls on a Sunday, employees in the United States will have Monday off. IAPE-represented employees in the U.S. who are required to work on Monday are entitled to the same Holiday Pay benefits described above with one exception: for all holidays worked after July 3 in any calendar year, the choice between an additional day off or day’s pay rests with the employee.

Holiday Pay must be claimed via Workday.

Wherever you’re celebrating your mid-year holiday this year, we hope you have a safe and enjoyable day! The IAPE office will be closed on Monday, but we’ll be back and ready to tackle the second half of 2021 bright and early on Tuesday morning.

IAPE Challenges Book Leave, GNY “Layoffs”

IAPE has demanded Dow Jones rescind any changes to its Book Leave policy and has insisted the company withhold any layoff notices it plans to issue to reporters affected by the closing of the Greater New York section of The Wall Street Journal.

In a Jun. 23 letter to the Dow Jones Legal department, IAPE president Jodi Green challenged company claims that it has no obligation to discuss changes to the Book Leave policy, or External Project policy.

“The policy in question obviously affects the terms and conditions of IAPE members’ employment and, as such, is a mandatory subject of bargaining,” Ms. Green said. “The law requires that bargaining be conducted in good faith.”

“Good faith, in this circumstance, requires that management retract the prematurely-issued policy while the parties negotiate.”

In a separate letter delivered to Dow Jones on Jun. 22, IAPE questioned a statement in a Jun. 17 email from Matt Murray announcing the end of the GNY section, in which he wrote, “This morning, we informed the Greater New York staff that we’re shutting down the team and ceasing publication in print and digital on July 9. Team members will have the chance to apply for other jobs.”

The letter advised the company of IAPE’s position: “The union insists that Dow Jones withhold any notices of layoff it planned to deliver as a result of this reorganization, and that employees be permitted to transfer with their jobs consistent with the terms of Article V, Section A of the Collective Agreement.”

IAPE reminded Dow Jones of 2019 contract negotiations over the issue of restructuring and the requirement for affected employees to reapply for positions held when those jobs were transferred to other departments. Those negotiations resulted in a new provision within the “Transfers” article of the contract.

That new contract language requires the company to permit employees to transfer to new departments “without any posting or application process” when jobs are transferred to different departments without any reduction in headcount.

Responding to the union’s letter, a Dow Jones representative said, “The work performed by the employees who have been noticed for layoff will not be continued in other departments, and the employees are not being required to reapply for ‘their jobs.’ The Company's decision to discontinue publishing the Greater New York section of The Wall Street Journal means that the coverage responsibilities of the affected employees will cease to exist. They all had beats that were primarily targeted for GNY content.”

The union will continue to investigate whether issuing layoff notices to GNY staff constitutes a violation of the IAPE/DJ contract.

IAPE Questions New Evaluation Ratings
The union issued requests for information about the company’s new performance evaluation system during today’s meeting of the IAPE and Dow Jones Labor/Management Committee.

Citing concerns about gender disparity and the effect of the pandemic on employee performance in 2020-21, IAPE asked Dow Jones to provide available data for performance evaluations of IAPE-represented employees, including the number of female and male employees rated as “Thriving,” those rated as “Performing” and those rated as “Needs Improvement.”

The union also requested information about the new process for rating employees, criteria for managers to select a rating level and written guidance from the company explaining the process after an employee has been provided with a rating of “Needs Improvement.”

During the meeting, a company representative asserted there is no automatic follow-up process triggered by a poor rating and also stated there is no connection between performance evaluations and compensation — which seems to contradict the understanding of many employees and managers.

IAPE has also requested information about numerical ratings provided in 2017, ’18 and ’19.

The Labor/Management committee meets on the fourth Thursday of each month. If you have a workplace concern you would like to add to the committee agenda, email your suggestions to union@iape1096.org.

Guild Social In New York
IAPE members in the New York area, you are cordially invited to a social hosted by the three New York locals of The NewsGuild: News Media Guild, the NewsGuild of New York, and IAPE!

Join us tomorrow, Friday, Jun. 25 at 5:00 p.m. We’ll be in Prospect Park Long Meadow, just east of the Picnic House. All members are welcome — and feel free to bring guests!

Please RSVP: bit.ly/35LUgSE

Join The Guild For a Social in Prospect Park!

New York area members, you are cordially invited to a social hosted by the three New York locals of The NewsGuild: News Media Guild, the NewsGuild of New York, and IAPE!

Join us Friday, Jun. 25 at 5:00 p.m. We’ll be in Prospect Park Long Meadow, just east of the Picnic House (don’t worry, you’ll find us — TNG reps will be onsite to greet you).

All members are welcome — and feel free to bring guests!

Please RSVP: bit.ly/35LUgSE

IAPE Will Fight Unilateral Imposition of New Policy on Books and Projects

Dow Jones announced a new policy Friday for WSJ news personnel in which the company claimed new and potentially expansive rights over employees’ efforts to write books or pursue other external projects. We have several concerns about the policy, which appears to depart from industry standards, and believe the company cannot lawfully impose it on its own. 

We will have more to say later, but for now, know this: We intend to fight this attempt to unilaterally change the terms of our employment. IAPE sent a letter to DJ representatives this afternoon seeking more information and requesting negotiations.

IAPE was first notified in late March that DJ intended to seek revisions and expansions of its policies on external projects. In April, the union raised a series of questions about a draft document presented by the company, and met with company officials on April 22. In May, DJ presented IAPE with a further revised proposed policy that did not address questions previously raised by the union. The revisions also appeared to be an attempt to further expand rights provided to management. 

IAPE expected to have further discussions with management over the policy. Instead, the company announced it Friday, without notifying the union first. Past policies of this nature were subject to bargaining, and we believe this one is, too.

Dow Jones also has been working on additional policies related to newsroom employees’ involvement with podcasts and newsletters. IAPE believes it has the right to negotiate over those policies as well.

We have received a steady stream of feedback today from concerned members, some of it quite angry, over the company’s proposed new approach. Thanks to those of you who have reached out. If you would like to be involved in our efforts to address this issue, please let us know. Continue to share your thoughts by emailing us at union@iape1096.org or calling the office at (609) 275-6020.