Bargaining Update: Job Security Discussion

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IAPE and Dow Jones representatives met yesterday for a negotiation session centered around select issues regarding job security. 

Management presented IAPEwith their Proposal #3, and maintained their existing proposals from other sessions were still on the table.

The company withdrew their original proposal of using merit, instead of seniority, as the first criteria for layoffs. As an alternate option, they proposed extending the window for which recent hires would be considered to have equal seniority from the first 2 years of employment to 5 years. This would result in all employees within their first 5 years of employment having the same seniority, which would allow the company to pick anyone within that pool of employees for layoffs first. They would then use merit as the secondary decision-maker to decide which employees within the pool of 5 years would be laid off. The company also made claims that this would help diversity efforts as they believe more diverse employees are typically the least senior and would benefit from the larger pool of employees. 

The current contract also states that any employee(s) having 2 years or more of service shall be deemed to have the same seniority status as any other Employee(s) whose hire date is within 1 year. The company’s proposal is to increase the 1-year band to a 5-year band, again using merit as the second criteria. 

Four of the company’s original proposals remain unchanged: volunteer process, process for applying for an available position, layoffs involving outsourcing and department head list.

In response to IAPE’s proposals regarding job security, the company is not interested in lowering the length of the probationary period from 9 months to 6 months. However, the company is  willing to accept IAPE’s proposal that a notice to employees regarding the probationary period be included in all offer letters. 

The company also agreed to increase retraining allowances by $1000 for each benefit level. IAPE is still waiting on documentation from the company illustrating the use of the retraining programs. 

The company rejected the following IAPE proposals:

  • Require payment upon discharge for cause

  • Expand rehire rights from 1 month to 6 months

  • Modification of contract definitions or application of location or department

  • Bumping rights

  • Providing access to company systems after layoff to retrieve personal files

  • Modification of existing language regarding sale of business unit severance

  • Employee option for a retirement payment

  • Modification of contract in regards to temporary employees

In our previous bargaining session, the company expressed their lack of interest in IAPE’s proposals to expand the terms under Article XX- Nondiscrimination. Yesterday they provided the union a counterproposal to add the existing anti-harassment language from the company’s global anti-harassment policy to the collective bargaining agreement with IAPE. 

As always, if you have any questions or are interested in getting more involved with our Contract Action Team, email us at union@iape1096.org.

Bargaining Town Hall Reminder!
IAPE will be holding town hall meetings on Monday, August 7 from 2:00-3:00pm EDT and from 6:00-7:00pm EDT. Please see our Events page to sign up to attend.

Election Nominations
Not only is this year a bargaining year, but it is also an election year. 

The nomination window is currently open. Details about the election process and nomination form can be found on our website here.

So far, the following nominations have been verified and accepted:

  • Austen Hufford for Treasurer

  • Laura Casey for Location Director-Northeast

  • Ted Mann for Location Director- Southeast

  • Jess Bravin for Location Director- Southeast

  • Stephanie Armour for Classification Director-News 

These nominees have been posted to the IAPE website. Additional nominees will be posted upon verification and acceptance of their nomination.