Bargaining Update: It’s a Marathon, not a Sprint

Representatives from IAPE and Dow Jones have reached their first tentative agreement of the current round of contract negotiations.

In a response to a proposal from the union, management has agreed “to clarify the contract” and confirm that meetings where employees will be notified of their discharge will be deemed “disciplinary.” Union-represented staff will be entitled to union representation during those meetings.

The item from Dow Jones was included in a two-page proposal document addressing “select issues.” The proposals were provided to the union during a brief negotiation meeting earlier today.

In total, management responded to four of the union’s 79 proposals with today’s document.

Dow Jones did not present a wage increase offer today, but did propose increasing the threshold salary for determining minimum compensatory raises to $1,300 per week, or $67,600 annually.

Also known as the “minimum dollar increase,” a minimum raise is determined by applying the negotiated compensatory raise to a threshold salary. In 2022, the negotiated 4% raise and $1,000 weekly threshold meant the smallest raise an IAPE member could have received was $40 per week.

Dow Jones made small adjustments to original management proposals on excluding interns from the IAPE bargaining unit and regarding the amount of notice provided to an employee and to the union in advance of disciplinary meetings.

IAPE and Dow Jones will break from negotiations until next Wednesday, July 5.