Bargaining Update: Who’s Talking About Pay Raises?

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IAPE members have reported hearing managers repeating similar messages during recent department meetings. Non-union supervisors are being informed that they can expect to receive news about compensation and 2023 pay raises soon. Meanwhile, the message from managers for IAPE-represented staff is, “you have to wait until contract negotiations end.”

That’s mostly true. Despite what many Dow Jones managers might claim, IAPE-represented employees are able to request discretionary pay adjustments at any time.

Regardless, when IAPE and Dow Jones resumed negotiations yesterday, the company again failed to deliver a proposal on wages despite multiple comments from the union on the importance of such a proposal to our members. “You've always gotten a wage proposal from us,” the IAPE team was told, “and you're going to get a wage proposal from us.”

During another brief bargaining meeting, the company instead provided updates on three areas also under discussion: 

  • Company-provided notice to employees with seniority when they are eligible to volunteer for layoffs: management is discussing the feasibility of this IAPE proposal with People Department staff.

  • A Dow Jones counter to increase IAPE’s proposed 12 cumulative month cap on non-union interns to a total of 15 cumulative months. 

  • A management offer to withdraw a proposal (item 1.G. from Company Proposal No. 1) if the union confirmed an understanding that employees who receive pay adjustments after July 1 during a bargaining year are not eligible to also receive the negotiated raise when a contract is eventually ratified. IAPE agreed with that position.

With no other Dow Jones proposals to discuss yesterday, the company suggested using tomorrow’s bargaining session to begin negotiations over job classifications and tier adjustments, and to return next Tuesday for its first proposals on 2024 benefits.

IAPE agreed with the suggestion for a conversation about benefits, but suggested pushing the job classification meeting to Thursday, Aug. 10. The union intends on using tomorrow’s meeting to present new contract proposals.

Location Meetings and Town Halls 
Before IAPE and Dow Jones return to the bargaining table, Northeast union members will have a chance to hear an update during a location (and Zoom) meeting Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. 

Next Monday, Aug. 7, all members can join one of two all-union town hall meetings, scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. EDT. To attend, register at the IAPE Events Page.

As always, if you have questions or comments about bargaining, please reach out to us at union@iape1096.org.