Union Directors Pause Organizing Resolution

During a Saturday meeting of the IAPE Board of Directors, regional representatives of the union voted to table a resolution calling on IAPE to organize workers outside of Dow Jones.

The resolution proposed the eventual addition of up to four unnamed publishing and media groups as new IAPE bargaining units, as well as establishing a process for the union’s Board to evaluate and approve future organizing targets.

Currently, IAPE is the only large Local union within The NewsGuild—and one of very few overall—representing workers at only one employer, and under a single contract.

Recent successes in union recruitment under the leadership of IAPE organizer Marissa Dadiw have resulted in additions of Wall Street Journal Photo Editors and New York MarketWatch staff to the existing unit of Dow Jones employees. However, some IAPE directors expressed concern with opportunities to expand IAPE’s mission beyond its current core.

Proponents of the resolution, meanwhile, note that Dadiw’s salary is funded by IAPE’s parent unions, The Guild and the Communications Workers of America, and that IAPE has an obligation to share in the current trend of media organizing.

With the resolution set aside until at least the next meeting of the IAPE Board in October, union officers and directors will seek feedback from members in their locations.

What do you think about IAPE expanding to represent workers elsewhere? All member feedback is welcome! Send your thoughts to union@iape1096.org.

FY2025 Budget Passed
Union directors approved a new budget and plans to increase spending by 6.30% over the next fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1.

The three most-expensive IAPE line items continue to be per capita payments to CWA, staff salaries and legal fees. The union is planning for at least two grievance arbitration hearings scheduled to be held later this fall, with the possibility of additional hearings next year.

The budget projects a small surplus of $5,500 over the next 12 months.

Sign Our AI Letter!
There’s still time to sign the IAPE open letter calling for a town hall meeting to answer members’ important AI questions!

Back in May, News Corp inked a $250 million deal with OpenAI. At the time, corporate announcements about the new partnership were long on hype and woefully short on details of how the influence of OpenAI might impact employees.

That hasn’t changed.

Months later, throughout Dow Jones, employees are encouraged to use new artificial intelligence tools and development has been underway on projects, but we still have not seen any meaningful information on how the company plans to use AI that could affect the jobs of IAPE members.

You deserve to know how the OpenAI partnership will affect your job. Sign our letter!

This Saturday: TNG Strike School
The NewsGuild's third annual Strike School is just days away!!

In recent years, more and more Guild members, including IAPE members, have engaged in collective actions up to and including work stoppages. TNG is building a culture of being a striking union. Because of that, The Guild is excited to announce that this Saturday, Sept. 28, they will be hosting a NewsGuild-CWA union-wide Strike School.

In these panels and workshops, we’ll hear from fellow workers who have been on strike and learn practical skills necessary to prepare our unit. Even though our new contract with Dow Jones remains in effect through June of 2027, it’s never too early to learn what a strike is all about. IAPE members are encouraged to join!

This class is scheduled to run from 12:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Sept. 28 via Zoom.

The deadline to register for this event is Sept. 27 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Register directly with TNG at https://forms.gle/6yifL4QJnBaseTYJ6.