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.