First Update from the Negotiating Table

IAPE and Dow Jones representatives kicked off contract negotiations yesterday with an exchange of proposals for a new collective bargaining agreement. The presentations were very different.

Proposals from the union reflected months of conversations with members, consideration of survey responses and a review of company financial performance during the term of the soon-to-expire contract. IAPE presented a document calling for changes to several contract sections, some general contract language proposals, new return to office plans and a new flexible work policy.

Dow Jones shared a two-page proposal calling for a one-year extension of the current CBA with a pledge to provide a separate flexible work policy at a future bargaining meeting.

Neither side presented a proposal for a wage increase during yesterday’s session. Dow Jones proposed a $500 lump sum payment, matching a staff announcement from HR head Dianne DeSevo earlier yesterday.

Company reps cited an uncertain business climate when explaining their desire for a one-year contract.

IAPE negotiators questioned that rationale, in light of recent statements by senior management concerning Dow Jones performance.

Just last week, CEO Almar Latour described Dow Jones’s acquisition of Singapore Solar Exchange as, “part of a broader push to strengthen our position as a leading provider of news, data and analytics in key areas for decision makers in business, finance and policy—meeting demand from our readers and customers, while at the same time strengthening our recurring and digital revenue.”

During an all-hands meeting on June 14, Latour described Dow Jones as “well positioned” to face challenges of the current economic climate. “We’re made for this moment,” he said.

Contract proposals released yesterday by IAPE call for increased overtime and comp time protections, hikes in shift differential and standby pay amounts, raises to offset exchange rate gaps between U.S. and Canadian dollars and the elimination of the 0.75% cap on annual inflation adjustments.

IAPE also delivered proposals for return-to-office plans, calling for all in-office work to remain voluntary until at least September 1, 2022. After that date, IAPE proposed a fully remote work environment for Experience and Finance business units, up to one in-office day per month for Customer Service, up to two days per month for Print Services, and up to two days per week for B2B, Membership & Marketing, WSJ News, Media Sales, New Ventures and Barron’s Group.

The union proposed improvements in seniority protection and vacation enhancements, as well as a freeze on health insurance premiums and plan copayments.

Dow Jones also proposed a one-year freeze on healthcare premium increases.

Other IAPE proposals included the addition of doula coverage to maternity services, matching levels of coinsurance for in- and out-of-network mental health coverage, covered travel expenses for employees and dependents who must travel out-of-state to access reproductive health care, and an increase to the annual fitness reimbursement stipend, as well as the permanent return of reimbursement for home gym equipment purchases.

IAPE called for greater rights for employees when writing books or engaging in projects on their own time as well as appearance fees when performing “extra” work on behalf of Dow Jones.

The parties will take an extended period to review these initial proposal packages, with the next negotiation date scheduled for July 5.

Please let us know your thoughts on where we are and the path you’d like to see going forward.

IAPE & Dow Jones Bargaining Begins Today

After months of preparation and several attempts to negotiate over work from home benefits and return to office plans, IAPE and Dow Jones finally begin negotiations this afternoon for a new collective agreement.

The current contract is set to expire on June 30, but Article XXVI of the agreement explains that the CBA automatically extends for 60 days after that date, and may be extended again if the parties agree.

In 2019, for example, IAPE and Dow Jones negotiators reached a tentative agreement on October 31, the final day of an extension period. That deal was ratified by IAPE members in November of that year.

This year, IAPE’s bargaining committee—a mixture of IAPE staff and your elected representatives on the union’s Board of Directors—has been busy working with legal counsel and preparing contract proposals to reflect the priorities of IAPE’s membership. Responding to a union survey earlier this year, 89.5% of IAPE members said the number one bargaining priority this year is annual pay increases. Protection against inflation and better work at home options rounded out the top three priorities, with approximately 59% of members choosing each.

None of these items are expected to be discussed today, however. During this first session, IAPE and Dow Jones reps will likely haggle over “ground rules” for these negotiations, with the union proposing that 2022 talks be held remotely. IAPE is also awaiting responses to information requests delivered to the company last month.

Consistent with previous contract years, IAPE expects to provide full transparency and post-meeting updates throughout this process. Keep an eye on your inbox for IAPE bargaining recaps.

Last Chance! Support Your Bargaining Committee, Get Your IAPE Swag!
If you haven’t requested your promo code for a free “swag kit” of one IAPE t-shirt, button and water bottle, this is your last chance! Orders must be delivered to our supplier by the end of the day tomorrow, June 22. In order to receive your free shipment, delivered directly to your home, you must request your promo code from the IAPE office.

Enter your name and email address on this form where indicated. We'll deliver an online order link and promo code to you as quickly as possible. You'll then be able to submit your order via the Universal website (one free kit per member, though you also may purchase extra items if you wish).

Thanks for supporting the IAPE bargaining committee!

Honoring Juneteenth

The recognition in 2021 of Juneteenth as a Federal holiday was long overdue, and IAPE approved of Dow Jones efforts to provide a paid day off in lieu of the date last year, and to recognize Juneteenth this year as an additional holiday in its corporate calendar. As the company noted in an email to all U.S. staff last year, “Dow Jones recognizes the importance of June 19.”

So do we, and we appreciate that the holiday has been extended to IAPE-represented employees, even though we have not yet negotiated its inclusion into the IAPE/DJ contract. Some of our Guild peers haven’t been as fortunate.

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, but also a date on which we are reminded of the work that is necessary to bring equity and equality to society, and even the workplace.

Because June 19 is a Sunday, the Juneteenth holiday will be recognized as a day off from work on Monday, June 20. To our members in the United States, we hope you have a safe and happy long weekend.

The IAPE office will also be closed Monday, but will reopen as usual on Tuesday morning. We would love to know how you celebrated your Juneteenth holiday—please email and let us know!

Some IAPE Reminders . . .

• Tomorrow: was that the reckoning?

• Pay reviews: plan ahead!

• And don’t forget to request your promo code!

TNG Presents: Was That the Reckoning? Addressing Anti-Black Racism in the News Industry
Tomorrow, June 15 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, union members from around IAPE’s parent union, The NewsGuild-CWA will gather for “Was that the Reckoning?: Addressing anti-Black Racism in the News Industry.” This assembly will examine past and present anti-Black racism in the news media, and take a hard look at The Guild’s role in building an anti-racist future.

IAPE members are invited and encouraged to participate. Register here: Was that the Reckoning? Addressing anti-Black racism in the news industry.

Attendees will hear from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and NewsGuild leaders, including NewsGuild of New York president Susan DeCarava, Desiree Stennett of the Orlando Sentinel, and Erin Logan of the Los Angeles Times.

A panel addressing the role of The Guild in fighting anti-Blackness will be followed by breakout groups in which members set a path forward in further detail with measurable next steps to organize against anti-Black racism.

What has worked for members? More importantly, what structures and resources have fallen short or been missing? As unionized media workers, we have the opportunity to hold employers, ourselves and each other accountable.

Register today!

IAPE Pay Reviews: Planning on Meeting With Your Manager?
Have you been thinking of approaching your boss to have a conversation about your pay? Ever wonder how your salary compares to peers in your department? The IAPE pay review might be a helpful tool for you. Using information available to the union, your IAPE reviewer may be able to provide you with a closer look at your rate of pay relative to fellow members in the same title, department, location, hire date range and even age range.

As we are in the height of performance review season, IAPE is receiving an influx of pay review requests. If you are interested in receiving an analysis of your salary and have a meeting scheduled with your manager to discuss your compensation, please make sure to reach out as far in advance as possible as there is a queue for requests.

Request a union review by emailing payreview@iape1096.org.

Free Stuff! Get Your Promo Code Today!
As IAPE prepares for contract negotiations with Dow Jones, we want to make sure every IAPE member in good standing has fresh IAPE gear to wear and display to support our bargaining committee—whether you're working from home or at a Dow Jones office. This year, IAPE has partnered with Universal Promotions to supply our new merchandise. To make sure we provide members with t-shirts, water bottles and IAPE buttons as quickly as possible, we have arranged for delivery of "swag kits" directly to your home AT NO COST TO YOU!

Just enter your name and email address on this form where indicated. We'll deliver an online order link and promo code to you as quickly as possible. You'll then be able to submit your order via the Universal website (one free kit per member, though you also may purchase extra items if you wish).

Act quickly—deadline to submit orders is June 22nd!

TNG Presents: Addressing Anti-Black Racism in the News Industry

Next Wednesday, June 15 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, union members from around IAPE’s parent union, The NewsGuild-CWA will gather for “Was that the Reckoning?: Addressing anti-Black Racism in the News Industry.” This assembly will examine past and present anti-Black racism in the news media, and take a hard look at The Guild’s role in building an anti-racist future.

IAPE members are invited and encouraged to participate. Register here: Was that the Reckoning? Addressing anti-Black racism in the news industry.

Attendees will hear from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and NewsGuild leaders, including NewsGuild of New York president Susan DeCarava, Desiree Stennett of the Orlando Sentinel, and Erin Logan of the Los Angeles Times.

A panel addressing the role of The Guild in fighting anti-Blackness will be followed by breakout groups in which members set a path forward in further detail with measurable next steps to organize against anti-Black racism.

What has worked for members? More importantly, what structures and resources have fallen short or been missing? As unionized media workers, we have the opportunity to hold employers, ourselves and each other accountable.

Register today!

Reminder: Get Your Promo Code for Free IAPE Gear!
Members, remember to submit your request form to receive a promo code for an IAPE t-shirt, button and water bottle. This is the only way to request and receive free IAPE merchandise this year to wear and display in support of your union negotiating committee—WE WON’T BE GIVING AWAY ITEMS AT DOW JONES OFFICES.

See Monday’s member note for details, and act quickly. Orders must be delivered to our supplier by June 22nd!

DJ Ends RTO Discussions

Company Imposes Plans For In-Office Work; IAPE Amends Labor Board Complaint

Dow Jones has informed IAPE it will implement return to office plans for its various business units, despite not reaching negotiated agreements over those plans with the union.

This latest move by the company is the most recent in a disturbing chain of events indicating Dow Jones management never intended to negotiate in good faith over RTO issues. As a result, IAPE has amended a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board in April, alleging that the company’s unilateral imposition of in-office plans is unlawful.

In a June 2 letter addressed to IAPE president Jodi Green, the company blamed the union for being “unwilling to reach agreement” over mandatory in-office work assignments and said, “We are surprised at the union’s willingness to disregard the progress we have made.”

Let’s look at the facts:

In February of this year, CEO Almar Latour and CPO Dianne DeSevo announced the company’s intention to impose a “hybrid” working model before Dow Jones made a single proposal to the union. Some Dow Jones managers began communicating details of those plans even before IAPE and Dow Jones held their first negotiation session—a detail that prompted the union’s NLRB complaint—and as IAPE and Dow Jones were meeting and negotiating over business unit plans, Editor In Chief Matt Murray announced return dates for Wall Street Journal newsroom staff.

Meanwhile, IAPE continually pressed Dow Jones for details about return to work plans. Files provided to the union were marked “confidential” and “not for team distribution.” Dow Jones balked at IAPE proposals to include these documents in any eventual RTO agreement and refused to modify its plans for in-office days for several business units.

Even in the newsroom, when IAPE members heard Matt say management had a plan to begin in-person work in July with two days per week and then increase to three days per week “hopefully, by the end of the year,” Dow Jones informed IAPE its position remained unchanged: two days per week in July and three days per week in August.

To the union, this is a matter of law. Section 8(d) of the National Labor Relations Act requires employers and labor organizations to “meet at reasonable times and confer in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.” By imposing business unit plans that appear to have been predetermined, IAPE believes Dow Jones has failed to meet these obligations.

The company has informed IAPE it will not implement some agreements reached during RTO negotiations—including severance pay for employees whose requests for remote work assignments are declined. It does plan to retain the vaccination policy announced to staff last month.

The union intends to continue bargaining over RTO issues when negotiations for a new contract begin later this month. We hope Dow Jones arrives at the table as a willing partner in that process.

In the meantime, especially if you are a Media Sales or WSJ News employee, comply with instructions from your management team and report to your office when required (for News: that’s July 11th). For members in other business units, in-office work remains voluntary until your RTO plan begins. Please deliver your RTO or contract questions to union@iape1096.org. 

Reminder: Get Your Code For Free IAPE Stuff
Members, remember to submit your request form to receive a promo code for a free IAPE t-shirt, button and water bottle. This is the only way to request and receive free IAPE merchandise this year—WE WON’T BE GIVING AWAY ITEMS AT DOW JONES OFFICES.

See yesterday’s member note for details, and act quickly. Orders must be submitted by June 22nd!

Free Stuff – Get Your Promo Code Today!

As IAPE prepares for contract negotiations with Dow Jones, we want to make sure every IAPE member in good standing has fresh IAPE gear to wear and display to support our bargaining committee—whether you're working from home or at a Dow Jones office. This year, IAPE has partnered with Universal Promotions to supply our new merchandise. To make sure we provide members with t-shirts, water bottles and IAPE buttons as quickly as possible, we have arranged for delivery of "swag kits" directly to your home AT NO COST TO YOU!

Just enter your name and email address on this form where indicated. We'll deliver an online order link and promo code to you as quickly as possible. You'll then be able to submit your order via the Universal website (one free kit per member, though you also may purchase extra items if you wish).

Act quickly—deadline to submit orders is June 22nd!

Updates: A Welcome, Glint Guidance, Telehealth Info and More!

We’re taking advantage of a lull in return-to-office negotiations (or, our attempts to negotiate with the company) and catching up on some other IAPE news today. We have added a new staff member, we have our annual reminder about performance evaluations and we have some news you may have missed about telehealth appointments. Please also read on for a holiday pay reminder, an invitation to join IAPE’s steward ranks and some tips on negotiating for a merit pay raise. It’s IAPE update day!

IAPE Welcomes Marissa Dadiw!
IAPE TNG/CWA Local 1096 is pleased to announce the hiring of Marissa Dadiw as a full-time organizer to bolster union membership.

This position was made possible through funding by IAPE parent unions, The NewsGuild and the Communications Workers of America. IAPE will be responsible for providing benefits and payment of employer taxes. IAPE’s Board of Directors approved the addition of Marissa to IAPE staff by a majority vote (9-7 with 3 abstentions).

Marissa will be responsible for identifying non-union areas of Dow Jones and News Corp interested in IAPE representation. She will also work with TNG organizers as they continue to unionize throughout peer media outlets and other previously underrepresented industries.

Originally from California, Marissa is a communications professional with a background in book publishing. Following three years as a volunteer member organizer with TNG, she worked in New York for the News Media Guild, a local who represents our union siblings at Associated Press, The Guardian US, and other outlets. Marissa worked as an NMG organizer for two years and helped bring in three new units to the local. Most notably, she assisted staff at her former employer, Oxford University Press, form a union and join The Guild last year.

Welcome to IAPE, Marissa!

Guidance for Goal Discussions and Performance Reviews
As Dow Jones departments and managers move ahead with year-end performance conversations, IAPE members are once again reaching out to the union office for guidance. 

So, here’s our annual reminder: all IAPE-represented employees may decline self-assessments, self-ratings, and department feedback requests. Dow Jones has confirmed for IAPE that, “Employee self-reflection remains optional but strongly encouraged,” and that self-ratings are also optional.

As we have said before, if you want to rate yourself or offer comments about your achievements over the past year, feel free. Nobody will do a better job of singing your own praises than you. But beware: any critical notes you provide may be held against you in your manager’s final assessment of your performance.

If you have any questions or concerns about performance discussions with your manager, please let us know, or contact your local IAPE representative.

ICYMI: Telehealth Benefits Extended
If you didn’t read all the way to the bottom of last Friday’s benefits email from Dow Jones, you may have missed this news: “In response to recent legal developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, News Corp has made additional temporary changes to benefits offered under the News Corp Comprehensive Health, Welfare and Cafeteria Plan and the News Corp Retiree Medical Plan.”

The linked notice, updated this month, describes new temporary coverage of eligible over-the-counter COVID-19 tests and additional temporary coverage for telehealth visits.

If you or your dependents are covered under one of News Corp’s Aetna medical plans, you will not be required to pay any cost for covered telemedicine visits that occur on or after April 1, 2022 and before January 1, 2023.

Happy Holidays – File for Your Pay!
Monday is Memorial Day, and for IAPE-represented employees working in the United States, a holiday recognized by the IAPE/DJ contract. We hope you are able to enjoy a safe and happy long weekend with family and friends. However, if you are required to work on 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—at the discretion of the Company).

Similarly, Monday, May 23 was Victoria Day, a holiday for our members in Canada. IAPE-represented employees in Canadian locations who were required to work on Monday are entitled to the same Holiday Pay benefits described above.

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

Next Week: Steward 101
With contract negotiations set to begin soon, IAPE is looking to bolster its steward ranks. What’s a union steward? A steward can be IAPE’s eyes and ears in a department, sharing union and workplace information with members or with IAPE’s elected representatives and staff. A steward might help organize union events and activities or participate in committee planning. Stewards even assist other members during meetings with management and Human Resources!

If you’re interested in becoming an IAPE steward, we invite you to join us Wednesday, June 1, at 2:00 p.m. EDT, for our Steward 101 class. This half-hour Zoom presentation is a great way for union members to learn more about the next level of IAPE participation.

Register on the IAPE Events page. Do you have questions about becoming a steward, but you aren’t available to attend next week’s class? Reach out to IAPE rep Marlena Fitzpatrick for some individual Q&A!

Compensation Questions? Get a Pay Review!
Have you been thinking of approaching your boss to have a conversation about your pay? Ever wonder how your salary compares to peers in your department? The IAPE pay review might be a helpful tool for you. Using information available to the union, your IAPE reviewer may be able to provide you with a closer look at your rate of pay relative to fellow members in the same title, department, location, hire date range and even age range.

If you’re thinking of asking for a merit raise this year, consider an in-depth look at your rate of pay before meeting with your manager. Request your own salary analysis by emailing payreview@iape1096.org.

Dow Jones Flip-Flops on Return to Office Plans

Last week, WSJ Editor in Chief Matt Murray told an all-staff meeting that the news department would like employees to spend two days per week in-office beginning July 11, and "hopefully, by the end of the year we can get up to three days. I have no timetable for that."

But when IAPE representatives met yesterday with DJ corporate attorneys for legally-required return-to-office negotiations, we got a different story. 

According to Dow Jones, what Matt said is not what Matt meant. The company’s proposal for News staff resuming mandatory in-office work remains unchanged: two days per week in July, rising to three days per week in August.

If we can’t rely on the words of the Editor in Chief during a well-attended forum with staff, how can members have any faith in claims that management intends to be “flexible” when addressing individual concerns surrounding work requirements?

That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing. That’s why we’re asking you to voice your concerns to your managers about vague and arbitrary plans for returning to workplaces. That’s why we’ve been seeking your feedback and crafting proposals to reflect what you tell us you need.

That’s why we need agreements in writing covering terms and conditions of return to office plans for all Dow Jones business units employing IAPE-represented workers.

The latest proposals from the union call for an in-office schedule for News similar to the one described by Matt last week, as well as a reduced in-office requirement for Experience staff. Dow Jones clarified that its Experience proposal, which originally called for three days of in-office work per week with a beginning date of “likely in September,” should actually have stated “up to three days per week.” The company has not provided the union with a revised proposal document.

IAPE expects to meet again with Dow Jones later this week or early next.

They Hear You Loud and Clear

Earlier today, newsroom staff from The Wall Street Journal received an update about return to office plans from WSJ Editor in Chief Matt Murray. Return-to-office policies are a subject of bargaining between the company and the union, and while negotiations remain ongoing, we were pleased to learn that management's proposal has moved closer to our position in recent hours. 

“As of the week of July 11, we are asking everyone to return to work at your assigned offices at least two days a week,” Matt wrote in his department email. “My expectation and hope is that we will be able to upgrade to three days later in the year.”

On April 29, Dow Jones proposals called for News staff to return to offices at least three days per week beginning in June. Following IAPE suggestions for members to express concerns to management, the company modified its News proposal on May 3 to two days per week beginning in July, followed by three days per week in August. And today, management reduced the in-office requirement further, just like you asked. 

Member action works.

To be clear, the plan suggested by Matt today is not a “done deal” and is still subject to negotiations with the union. IAPE and Dow Jones must reach agreement over required days in office as well as details around anticipated effective dates.

The union and the company are also negotiating a new Flexible Work policy to replace the old Work Anywhere policy, including annual equipment reimbursement rates for employees classified as hybrid or remote.

Our proposals have always been reasonable and in line with IAPE member survey results. We have proposed that all “hybrid” employees have a maximum of two days required in the office and to be given four weeks of “work from anywhere” time. The policies we're seeking actually are closer than the company's to the best-practices described in news articles about the workplace published by the Journal and Barron’s.

IAPE also has active proposals for required in-office work for other business units: Experience, Baron’s Group, New Ventures, Media Sales, B2B, Membership and Print Services. We have yet to receive a Finance proposal.

To members in those departments, we encourage you to take similar action (if you have not already) and tell your managers how you feel about your return to office plans. We also encourage you to support IAPE negotiating positions by updating your Gmail, Slack and Zoom profile pictures.

As we said yesterday, your voice matters.  Dow Jones management hears you.