Support For Evan

One day after learning Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russian security agents, WSJ staffers are pushing back on the ridiculous assertion their colleague is a spy.

Co-workers are sharing Evan’s incredible work covering Russia and Ukraine. The Committee to Protect Journalists has called for Evan’s release “immediately and without conditions.”

You can show your support, too. We invite all IAPE members, and Dow Jones employees everywhere, to change their avatar today to the image below this message. This file is available for downloading here, or via the IAPE website.

WSJ Editor in Chief Emma Tucker has encouraged staff to use the hashtag #istandwithevan in social-media posts. You can also share these items from IAPE Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

“Free Evan Now” buttons will be available from IAPE next week.

We Stand With Evan

This morning, we awoke to the terrible news that WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich has been detained by the Federal Security Service in Russia.

A native of Princeton, NJ, Evan has worked as a reporter in Russia since 2017.

While IAPE only represents employees located in the United States and Canada, we stand in solidarity with our colleague, Evan. We support and echo management’s call for his immediate release.

IAPE Files Pay Increase Grievance

Also, see below for a Vision Plan grievance update

IAPE has filed a grievance against Dow Jones citing the company’s failure to pay a negotiated 2022 compensatory raise to several employees.

In its grievance letter, the union contends that employees who received pay raises, whether through promotion or merit, after July 1, 2022—but before IAPE and Dow Jones concluded negotiations and members ratified a new contract on Sept. 9, 2022—should have received a negotiated 4% raise when pay increases were processed.

IAPE cites contract language negotiated in 2019 clarifying which employees are eligible to receive a compensatory increase. That language reads, “For the avoidance of doubt, Employees who are promoted or change assignments within the bargaining unit after May 1 shall receive the full increase as set forth in section A above.”

Dow Jones has taken the position that this language only covers a period of time between May 1 and July 1, the effective date for the new contract. The company has formally denied the union’s grievance.

IAPE will consult with union legal counsel over next steps, including the possibility of resolving this grievance through binding arbitration.

Vision Plan Grievance: You Can Still Enroll!
Last week, IAPE shared news about a special open enrollment for new vision plan benefits. The update followed an email earlier that same day from News Corp Benefits inviting employees to enroll in enhanced vision plan coverage.

The mid-year offering was the result of IAPE and Dow Jones settling a grievance filed by the union last year. The email from News Corp advised employees, “You have until 03/24/2023 to make changes to your vision election.”

If you were not able to change your plan last week, Dow Jones has assured IAPE that members will still be able to make new plan elections this week. Members should contact The Benefit Center directly.

Any IAPE-represented employee who has difficulty reaching the Center to enroll in vision plan coverage should contact IAPE.

Contract Trivia: Excluded Departments

Congratulations to Princeton member Barbara Zalewski, this week’s winner of our 2023 trivia contest and a $50 prize. Barbara’s response was selected from correct answers to last week’s question: when overtime-exempt employees are assigned work outside their homes on Scheduled Days Off, they are entitled to a maximum of 12 hours (earned at 1.5X for eight hours of work) in a single calendar day. (see Article II - Hours and Overtime, Section H.3).

We would like to welcome all our new contest participants, especially our newest IAPE members! Many new hires are often surprised to learn that Dow Jones is a unionized workplace and that we represent so many different groups of employees. Still, the IAPE contract doesn’t apply to everyone at Dow Jones. With that in mind, see if you know the answer to this week’s question:

Which five Dow Jones departments are specifically excluded from IAPE coverage?

Think you know? Email your response to union@iape1096.org. Not sure? Scroll through our contract posted on the IAPE website to find the relevant section. Members in good standing* will have one week to find the answer within the current collective agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones, and email that answer back to us. Next Friday, one winner will be selected at random from all the correct responses, and that winning member will receive a $50 prize from IAPE.

Retirement Survey Results
Only 82 IAPE members responded to a survey about their retirement savings plan, but several offered interesting suggestions for changes to the Dow Jones plan. Among the most frequent requests: no waiting period for vesting of employer contributions.

Other highlights from responses to this latest survey: 

• 97.6% make contributions to retirement accounts, 

• 14.6% contribute less than 6% 

• The majority make pre-tax contributions

• 22% save via Roth post-tax options

• Most are very familiar or somewhat familiar with their 401(k) plans

• Only 42.7% are satisfied with investment options provided by Fidelity

Thanks to all members who responded to this latest survey about potential contract negotiation topics. Watch your email for future questions, and be sure to check out results of questionnaires from earlier this year:

• Performance evaluations

• Health care coverage

• Wages and hours

• 30 contract issues

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*The IAPE contract trivia question is a weekly contest for members of the IAPE/DJ bargaining unit in the United States and Canada, working under the terms of the collective agreement between Dow Jones & Company Inc. and the Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (IAPE) TNG/CWA Local 1096, AFL-CIO,CLC, in effect from July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023. IAPE officers, IAPE directors, IAPE staff, fee-paying non-members and non-members in right-to-work states (or new employees not yet paying dues to IAPE) are not eligible for prizes. Contest period lasts through 11:59 PM Eastern Time each Thursday. On Friday, one winner will be selected from the previous week’s correct answers by a random drawing. Winners are limited to one gift card prize every thirty days.

Vision Plan Open Enrollment Again?

Yes, it’s a real thing

IAPE-represented employees working in the United States have received an email from the News Corp benefits department under the subject line, “Special Vision Enrollment Opportunity - Do Not Reply.”

Not explained in yesterday’s message from the company: this invitation to re-enrol in Dow Jones vision plan coverage is the result of an IAPE grievance filed against the company in December of last year, when enhanced vision coverage was only made available to non-union employees.

During discussions to settle the IAPE grievance, Dow Jones agreed to conduct a new open enrollment for IAPE-represented staff. New vision benefits provide an annual allowance of $150 for eyeglass frames, an increase of $40 from the former plan.

Members can change their plan election during this new enrollment period, which ends on Friday. As the enrollment invitation from News Corp states, “If you do not wish to make any changes, your current election will continue with the new plan design.” Per-paycheck premiums for enhanced vision coverage will be slightly higher under the new plan.

Members who have already purchased glasses in 2023 should consider whether they require vision plan coverage for the remainder of this year.

Update Your IAPE Contact Info!
You’re likely receiving this message at your Dow Jones email address. There are times, especially during contract negotiations, when IAPE prefers to message members via their personal email accounts. Not all members have their current personal email address on file with IAPE, though. If you would like to add or update your non-DJ contact information with IAPE, please send your current email address in a reply to this note.

If you would like to add your mobile number for possible IAPE text messages during contract negotiations, please feel free to add that to your reply!

Contract Trivia: Work on a SDO

Congratulations to New York member Emma Brown, this week’s winner of our 2023 trivia contest and a $50 prize. Emma’s response was selected from several correct answers to last week’s question: at the start of each year, IAPE-represented employees assigned to four- or five-day workweeks each receive six personal days. (see Article VIII-A – Holidays, Section B.1 or Article VIII-B – Holidays Canadian Employees, Section B.1).

Several members also had the correct answer to our bonus question from last week: Employees hired after October 1 in any calendar year receive 1.5 personal days to use during the remainder of that year.

IAPE encourages members to use and enjoy all available personal time, but we recognize that, in a 24x7 media company, work will often be assigned to employees on their Scheduled Days Off. With that in mind, this week’s IAPE trivia question is:

If an overtime-exempt employee receives an assignment for work outside their home on a Scheduled Day Off, what is the maximum amount of compensation they are eligible to receive?

Think you know the answer? Email union@iape1096.org and let us know. Not sure? Scroll through our contract posted on the IAPE website to find the relevant section. Members in good standing* will have one week to find the answer within the current collective agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones, and email that answer back to us. Next Friday, one winner will be selected at random from all the correct responses, and that winning member will receive a $50 prize from IAPE.

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*The IAPE contract trivia question is a weekly contest for members of the IAPE/DJ bargaining unit in the United States and Canada, working under the terms of the collective agreement between Dow Jones & Company Inc. and the Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (IAPE) TNG/CWA Local 1096, AFL-CIO,CLC, in effect from July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023. IAPE officers, IAPE directors, IAPE staff, fee-paying non-members and non-members in right-to-work states (or new employees not yet paying dues to IAPE) are not eligible for prizes. Contest period lasts through 11:59 PM Eastern Time each Thursday. On Friday, one winner will be selected from the previous week’s correct answers by a random drawing. Winners are limited to one gift card prize every thirty days.

Looking at the Dow Jones Pay Gap. Again.

Today is Equal Pay Day, and for the fourth time in the past seven years, IAPE is shining the spotlight on pay inequities at Dow Jones. Using pay data provided by the company, IAPE examined salaries as of Dec. 31, 2022 for 1,445 full-time, union-represented employees. The results are once again disappointing: significant gaps in pay still exist across lines of gender and race throughout the company.

See for yourself. Read an IAPE Review of Pay Practices at Dow Jones.

Among the findings:

• Median salaries for male employees across the entire IAPE-represented workforce exceed medians for female employees by 17.8%.

• Median pay for male reporters, special writers and senior special writers exceeds female medians in under-30, 45-49, 50-54 and over-55 age groups.

• Largest median and mean gender gaps were found in the B2B business unit.

• In Technology, not only are male employees paid more, they outnumber female colleagues by more than a two-to-one margin.

• In all units except technology, median and mean pay rates for white employees are higher than those for BIPOC employees.

• Largest median gaps between white and BIPOC employees were found within the Barron’s Group and News WSJ units.

• Of 550 IAPE-represented employees in News WSJ, only 22 staffers were reported as Black; only 26 as Hispanic/Latino.

• Among 332 IAPE-represented Reporters and Special Writers, only four are identified as Black, and only eight as Hispanic/Latino.

IAPE will continue to call attention to these company pay practices, and will work to highlight other disparities among the unionized ranks. Continue to respond to union surveys for additional demographic information, including how you identify.

IAPE demands Dow Jones seriously address pay equity and workplace diversity.

Wednesday in Princeton: IAPE 101

IAPE 101, the union’s orientation class for newcomers and Q&A session for veteran members, makes its in-person return to Princeton on Wednesday afternoon. If you are working in the Princeton office on Wednesday, please join IAPE representatives at 2:00 p.m. in the Barcelona conference room on the 2nd floor (PRI-2-F02.CG32).

Members working from home or in other locations may join our remote feed. Please register through the IAPE Events Page to attend or receive your meeting link.

IAPE 101 is a half-hour class 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?

This week, we’ll have plenty of time for Q&A, especially for those of you who have questions about upcoming contract negotiations.

Contract Trivia: Personal Days?

Congratulations to Princeton member Jasmine Hamada, this week’s winner of our 2023 trivia contest and a $50 prize. Jasmine’s response was selected from several correct answers to last week’s question: negotiations for the renewal, modification or extension of the contract may be instituted by either IAPE or Dow Jones within sixty days prior to its expiration. (see Article XXVI – Duration and Renewal, Section B).

Next Friday is St. Patrick’s Day—unfortunately not a holiday recognized by the IAPE contract. However, if members are able to schedule time off with their manager, they can use available personal days or “floaters” to take the day off, which brings us to today’s question:

How many personal days does an IAPE-represented employee on a four- or five-day workweek receive at the start of each year?

Special “Bonus Entry” if you can tell us how many floaters an employee receives until the end of a calendar year if they are hired after October 1!

Think you know the answer? Email union@iape1096.org and let us know. Not sure? Scroll through our contract posted on the IAPE website to find the relevant section. Members in good standing* will have one week to find the answer within the current collective agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones, and email that answer back to us. Next Friday, one winner will be selected at random from all the correct responses, and that winning member will receive a $50 prize from IAPE.

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*The IAPE contract trivia question is a weekly contest for members of the IAPE/DJ bargaining unit in the United States and Canada, working under the terms of the collective agreement between Dow Jones & Company Inc. and the Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (IAPE) TNG/CWA Local 1096, AFL-CIO,CLC, in effect from July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023. IAPE officers, IAPE directors, IAPE staff, fee-paying non-members and non-members in right-to-work states (or new employees not yet paying dues to IAPE) are not eligible for prizes. Contest period lasts through 11:59 PM Eastern Time each Thursday. On Friday, one winner will be selected from the previous week’s correct answers by a random drawing. Winners are limited to one gift card prize every thirty days.

Help Wanted: Join the IAPE BOD

The IAPE Board of Directors has vacancies available to be filled immediately by union members in good standing. Currently, the IAPE Board has openings for the positions of Classification Director - News, Classification Director - Technology and Classification Director - Sales/Administrative, as well as an opening for a Location Director in our Southwest region, covering the area within and around Texas and southern California.

Duties of an IAPE director are described in detail in the union’s Bylaws.

To summarize, IAPE board members are the collective voice for union members on matters of union governance including: 

• How to respond to workplace issues and company announcements

• How IAPE spends money 

• Whether to proceed to arbitration on grievance matters

Directors raise member issues with their board colleagues and bring relevant union information back to their constituents.

IAPE directors are also responsible for working with President Jodi Green and union staff in developing proposals for contract negotiations—some even serve on the IAPE Bargaining Committee.

Mid-term vacancies on the IAPE board may be filled by appointment of current directors. Individuals appointed to any of these vacancies will be eligible to serve the remainder of the current term, which expires on Nov. 30 of this year. Nominations for 2023 elections will open in June, so think of this interim period as a try-out to see if you might be interested in running for union election later this year!

The IAPE board currently meets virtually for a one-hour meeting once each month. A slightly-more-detailed, biannual, in-person (when possible) meeting is held in the spring and fall of each year. Between-meeting discussions on issues (of varying degrees of importance) are generally conducted via a Signal group channel.

If you are interested in volunteering for the classification vacancy relevant to your job title, or if you work in the Southwest region and would like to be the regional rep, please email union@iape1096.org to arrange a meeting to discuss these representative roles.

Still Open: IAPE Survey on Retirement Savings
In case you haven’t responded to our survey on the Dow Jones retirement savings program—and based on survey results thus far, that’s almost all of you—we’re going to keep this latest contract survey open for another week. Please take a few minutes to tell us how you would like Dow Jones to change the current plan! See your email for a survey link.

This week’s survey is formatted differently from earlier questionnaires, but still won’t require much of your time. After the initial two questions about your length of service and Dow Jones business unit, we’re seeking your multiple choice feedback on six questions about retirement savings, followed by a, “what changes would you like to see” short answer question.

All responses—on this and all contract surveys—help your union as we develop proposals for 2023 contract negotiations with Dow Jones.